What did China’s billions build in Uganda?

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reports that China’s Export-Import Bank has become one of Uganda’s most significant infrastructure lenders, backing projects across transport, power, aviation, oil-related roads and telecommunications. The article uses the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway as a prominent example of how Chinese financing has helped shape Uganda’s development agenda, while also raising questions about debt, value for money and long-term economic returns.

According to the report, the 56-kilometre expressway cost about US$476 million, with roughly US$350 million financed by an Exim Bank loan. Since opening in August 2018, it has reduced travel time between Kampala and Entebbe International Airport to about 40 minutes under normal traffic conditions. The Ministry of Works is cited as saying the road generates average monthly toll revenue of Shs3.5 billion. The article also notes ongoing concerns such as lighting along parts of the road and debate over whether it is truly the world’s most expensive road.

Beyond the expressway, the piece says Exim Bank financed major hydropower projects including the 600MW Karuma plant and the 183MW Isimba dam, as well as support for Entebbe International Airport and roads in the Albertine oil region. It also mentions financing for Phase V of the National Backbone Infrastructure, intended to expand fibre-optic coverage and public digital access. The article argues that the broader question is not only what was built, but how much economic and social benefit these assets deliver relative to their costs.