New Digital System to Track Government Projects and Expose Shoddy Work

What the report says

ICT professionals in Uganda have proposed a digital platform meant to improve oversight of government-funded projects by letting citizens, officials and other stakeholders monitor implementation and report defects. According to Nile Post, the system would be able to show project details such as budgets, timelines and completion dates, while also allowing users to upload photos or short videos of suspected shoddy work or delays.

The proposed Public Project and Procurement Transparency System was described by Uganda Association of ICT Professionals chairperson Japheth Kitimbo as a way to close information gaps between communities, local governments, ministries and contractors. He said the idea was developed in response to repeated complaints about poorly executed public projects, weak routine monitoring and cases where problems are only discovered during physical site visits by officials.

Under the plan, complaints submitted through the platform would generate reference numbers so authorities can follow up. Contractors would also be expected to file periodic progress updates, which could help identify stalled or substandard work earlier in the project cycle. The association said it would be ready to support rollout if government adopts the system and provides the needed infrastructure and access to project data.

The report comes amid closer attention to public works after monitoring visits by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara reportedly uncovered poorly done projects in several districts. If implemented, the platform could add another layer of transparency in public procurement and give citizens a more direct role in tracking how taxpayer-funded projects are delivered.