Da Dona
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
- 1,058
- 630
Nearly nine in every 10 government projects assessed by Uganda’s Ministry of Finance were behind schedule, highlighting persistent challenges in procurement, project preparation, land acquisition and financing.
A June 2026 review by the Budget Monitoring and Accountability Unit (BMAU) found that 87% of 107 public investment projects assessed were behind schedule, virtually unchanged from the previous review in December 2025.
Of the projects assessed:
- 14 projects (13%) had stagnated completely
- 81 projects (75.7%) showed only slight improvement
- Domestic projects performed worse, with 94% behind schedule, compared with 80% of externally financed projects
The projects covered 13 government programmes under the Public Investment Plan, with 62 externally financed and 45 funded by the Ugandan government.
Among the 14 stagnated projects are major investments including the Standard Gauge Railway, Kampala-Jinja Expressway, Busega-Mpigi Expressway, Entebbe Airport Rehabilitation Phase and Uganda Railways Corporation Capacity Building project.
Several climate and environmental projects were also affected, including initiatives on wetland ecosystems, climate resilience, irrigation and fragile catchments.
Why are projects delayed?
BMAU identified delayed procurement, inadequate project preparation and poor planning as some of the main causes.
Other challenges include:
- Delays in land acquisition and securing rights of way
- Inadequate or delayed counterpart funding
- Weak contractor capacity
- Delayed payments
- Non-disbursement of external financing
The ministry said weak project preparation has in some cases forced agencies to change the scope of projects after implementation has already begun, creating further delays and financing pressures.
The situation also has financial implications for externally funded projects. The Ministry of Finance warned that government can incur commitment and commission fees on loans even when implementation and disbursement remain slow.
The findings underline a broader challenge: securing funding for a public project does not necessarily translate into timely delivery.
With 87% of the projects assessed still behind schedule, the review raises questions about how government plans, prepares, finances and monitors major public investments before committing substantial public and borrowed funds.
Daily Monitor reports
