Kampala, Uganda | URN | Engineers Edward Raymond Kiyaga and Dickens Ahimbisibwe have been suspended over alleged embezzlement of funds for the construction of the Busega-Mpigi Expressway.
The suspension by the Ministry of Works and Transport follows a directive from the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala, acting on instructions from President Yoweri Museveni.
The two officials were ordered to immediately hand over all government property, records, files, equipment, and any other official items in their possession.
They have also been barred from accessing ministry premises or performing any official duties without explicit permission and must remain available at all times to assist with ongoing investigations and administrative processes.
The IGG’s office welcomed the move. “This action demonstrates adherence to the principles of accountability and good governance,” a statement from the inspectorate said, noting the need for swift intervention to restore public confidence in major infrastructure projects.
The 23.7-kilometre Busega-Mpigi Expressway, financed largely through a loan, was designed to ease persistent traffic congestion along the Kampala-Masaka highway, improve trade flows, and strengthen connectivity between Kampala, southwestern Uganda and neighbouring countries including Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
Initially contracted at around 547 billion shillings, the project’s cost has ballooned significantly with reports indicating that it has more than doubled amid design changes, land compensation disputes, and implementation delays. Despite substantial payments, physical progress has lagged, hovering around 40-45 percent for extended periods, with full completion now pushed to 2027.
President Museveni personally highlighted irregularities in the project, pointing to alleged manipulation of the road route by corrupt officials.
According to details shared in correspondence, engineers reportedly altered the alignment to bypass previously compensated land and reroute it through areas requiring fresh compensation, including land linked to their own interests.
The government had disbursed funds for 100 percent completion, yet only partial work had been done.
That prompted the President’s intervention to not only suspend the two engineers but also other senior officers at the Ministry of Works, including the Permanent Secretary.
Similar controversies have dogged other high-profile initiatives, including past road contracts and procurement irregularities that have drawn parliamentary scrutiny and Auditor General reports.
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