Press releases

According to New Vision, CoST Uganda released a Mapping Report to stakeholders during a use-case workshop held on 13 November 2025. The workshop brought together key stakeholders to review and identify priority indicators from the CoST Infrastructure Data Standard (IDS) for Sustainable Infrastructure. The selected indicators will be used to enhance the Government Procurement Portal (GPP) system, with the aim of improving transparency, accountability, and the disclosure of infrastructure project information in Uganda.

This comes after workshop that reviewed the mapping report on infrastructure practices for the government procurement portal against the CoST new sustainability standards of OC4IDS on 13/11/2025.

 

A 2024 CoST International report reveals that over 90% of bidders remain anonymous on the GPP, while contract amendments are rarely disclosed. Far from boosting confidence, this has become a gateway to corruption, costing Ugandans billions meant for schools, hospitals, and roads. This report was published by our trained journalists on reporting standards –New vision September 16, 2025 NV

CoST -The Transparency initiative organization conducted a study, which examined infrastructure procurement in four African countries between 2018 and 2024, found out that Uganda is plagued by non-competitive practices in public procurement:

1. Only 40% of contracts were openly bid.
2. 35% used restricted bidding, and 15% direct procurement.
3. One in four tenders attracted just a single bidder, locking out competition and inflating costs.
4. Bidder anonymity exceeding 90% 
5. Water projects: 55% restricted bidding, with frequent unexplained cost amendments.
6. Education contracts: often split into micro-lots to escape scrutiny, with 45% using restricted bidding.
7. Transport projects: 49% of spending, but international tenders frequently sideline local firms.

Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDA) requires transparency: bidder lists, evaluation scores, and contract details should be published. Yet, in practice, compliance was found weak. Bidder names are hidden, losing proposals are excluded, and contract amendments remain secret. Stakeholders blame both political interference and official manipulation, with 40% of respondents in a CoST survey pointing fingers at private companies complicit in the system.

This article CoST-The infrastructure Transparency Initiative report therefore urges urgent reforms: Mandating disclosure of all bidders, evaluations, and amendments in the OC4IDS format, Scrutinizing single-bid awards, especially high-value contracts, Conducting 12-month audits in high-risk sectors like water sector, Simplifying education tenders to curb contract splitting, Supporting SMEs with fairer rules and payment security.

“As a transparency movement, we call on PPDA Uganda and all responsible government bodies to end the shadows and embrace openness- lets stop corruption is a stolen future.”

 

On 17th July 2025, CoST Uganda officially launched and disseminated its 6th Independent Review Report on the Infrastructure Programme Assessment (IPA) at Golf Course Hotel. The assessment, conducted under the Ministry of Local Government between November 2024 and March 2025, evaluated infrastructure projects using a sector-based approach. The review findings were independently analysed by a consultant with support from Assurance Experts from the CoST Uganda National Secretariat and the CoST International Secretariat. The report aims to promote transparency, accountability, and improved infrastructure delivery by sharing key findings and recommendations with government institutions, development partners, and other stakeholders.

The article highlights the suspension and slowdown of 27 major road construction projects across Uganda due to a funding shortfall of Shs2.472 trillion in the 2025/2026 financial year. The Ministry of Works and Transport received only Shs682 billion out of the Shs3.153 trillion it had requested, leading to delayed contractor payments, stalled infrastructure projects, and land acquisition challenges. The ministry warned that continued underfunding threatens the deterioration of the national road network, increases maintenance costs, and undermines Uganda’s infrastructure development and economic growth. It has called on the government to prioritise funding for road maintenance, clear outstanding arrears, and resume suspended projects to prevent further losses.

The article highlights the growing challenge of road maintenance in Uganda, emphasizing that while significant investments are made in constructing new roads, insufficient funding for maintenance is leading to rapid deterioration of existing infrastructure. During the launch of CoST Uganda’s 6th Independent Review Report, the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, stressed the need to allocate adequate resources for road maintenance to ensure sustainability. The report, which assessed road infrastructure projects in five districts, identified underfunding, outdated procurement regulations, and limited maintenance capacity as key obstacles. The government has pledged to address these challenges through high-level policy discussions aimed at improving road maintenance and preserving Uganda’s infrastructure.

By Shift Media

The New Vision article reports on the findings of CoST Uganda’s 2025 Independent Review Report, which identified accountability and transparency gaps in road infrastructure projects implemented under the Ministry of Local Government. While the review acknowledged improvements in project disclosure and oversight, it highlighted persistent challenges, including inadequate compliance with transparency standards, weak project monitoring, and inefficiencies in project implementation. The report calls for stronger accountability mechanisms, improved disclosure practices, and enhanced stakeholder engagement to ensure better value for public investment and more effective delivery of local government infrastructure projects.

According to New Vision, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) identified 68 flood-prone hotspots across the city’s five divisions, highlighting the urgent need to improve the city’s drainage infrastructure. The report attributes recurring flooding to inadequate funding, clogged and encroached drainage channels, and the delayed implementation of the Kampala Drainage Master Plan. KCCA has proposed measures including desilting drainage channels, constructing new drainage infrastructure, and widening key channels to mitigate flooding. The article also underscores the need for increased government investment, stronger environmental protection, and proper planning to build a more resilient urban drainage system.

CoST Uganda released the results of its second Infrastructure Transparency Index (ITI) on 25 July 2024, assessing transparency and accountability across 30 procuring and disclosing entities and 58 infrastructure projects. The findings showed a significant improvement in Uganda’s overall transparency score, increasing from 20.8% in 2021 to 32.26% in 2024, with progress recorded in the enabling environment, institutional capacities, citizen participation, and information disclosure.
The report also highlighted stronger performance among central government entities compared to local governments, with KCCA, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and the Office of the President ranking among the top performers. The Index underscores the importance of continued efforts to strengthen transparency, public participation, and accountability in infrastructure delivery across Uganda.

During the CoST Uganda Multi-Stakeholder Engagement Meeting held on 26 July 2017, the Minister of Works and Transport presided over the dissemination of the Scoping Study findings on public infrastructure projects and the presentation of preliminary results from CoST Uganda’s first Assurance Process.

The event highlighted Uganda’s commitment to the CoST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, which the country adopted in 2014 to promote transparency, accountability, and value for money in public infrastructure. The Assurance Process reviewed selected projects implemented by UNRA, KCCA, and Wakiso District, providing recommendations to strengthen project disclosure, governance, and stakeholder participation in infrastructure delivery.