District engineers say the system, not just corruption, is behind poor roads

What the report says

Mbale City Engineer Daniel Mufumba has said Uganda’s poor roads should not be blamed on corruption alone, arguing that local government engineers are being held responsible for outcomes shaped by funding rules, political pressures and weak institutional arrangements. His remarks were made in Kampala during a Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) Voice forum, against the backdrop of anti-corruption arrests and inspections targeting district engineers over alleged shoddy road works and misuse of public funds.

According to The Independent Uganda, Mufumba said local governments receive a uniform annual road maintenance grant of one billion shillings, even though districts, cities and municipalities differ widely in road length, population, terrain and traffic. He said that approach leaves some places with budgets that are too small to cover their actual needs and suggested a needs-based formula instead. He also argued that many roads now require rehabilitation or reconstruction, not routine maintenance, which is what current grants are designed to cover.

Mufumba used Mbale City as an example, saying its road network is about 523 kilometres but that after required deductions only enough funding remains to maintain roughly 53 kilometres each year. He said this creates a growing maintenance backlog and limits visible improvements.

He also said political representatives often push for projects to be spread across many areas, reducing technical efficiency, and questioned a system in which engineering plans require approval from more than one body. He further raised concern about the frequent use of acting appointments for engineers, saying it can weaken independence. The broader issue matters because road quality affects public services, accountability and how responsibility is assigned when projects fail.