The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), in partnership with the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) and the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT), officially relaunched the upgraded Government Procurement Portal (GPP) on 11 June 2026. The enhancement introduces new infrastructure sustainability reporting features aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making in public infrastructure projects.
The relaunch was officiated on behalf of on behalf of Hon. Fred Byamukama, the Minister of Works and Transport, by Eng. Tonny Richard Mugenyi, Commissioner for Construction Industry Development and Regulation. The event marked a significant milestone in Uganda’s efforts to align public procurement disclosure practices with international standards for sustainable infrastructure and open contracting.
The event brought together over 50 representatives from government institutions, local governments, state enterprises, civil society and the private sector. Participants included officials from the PPDA, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Local Government, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Water and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Ministry of Health, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda Wildlife Authority, Uganda Property Holding limited, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, Uganda Air cargo cooperation, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Council, UETCL, UEDCL, UEGCL, NHCC, Transparency International Uganda, CIDI and the Uganda National Association of Builders, Suppliers and Engineering Contractors among others.
The portal upgrade was undertaken with support from CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative. The enhanced platform incorporates priority data points from the Open Contracting for Infrastructure Data Standard (OC4IDS), covering economic, institutional, environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS), and climate finance indicator- data points. It also expanded disclosure across the infrastructure lifecycle by incorporating operation, maintenance, and decommissioning stages.
Mr. Gilbert Sendugwa, Africa Freedom of Information Centre(AFIC)
Speaking at the event, AFIC Executive Director Mr. Gilbert Sendugwa highlighted the collaboration between AFIC and PPDA, which began in July 2025 following a commitment by PPDA’s management to strengthen the publication of sustainability-related procurement data.
Through a mapping exercise conducted against sustainable procurement standards, stakeholders assessed the Government Procurement Portal’s capacity to disclose infrastructure sustainability information.
From 78 relevant data points, stakeholders from different Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs) prioritized 36 key indicators across economic, institutional, ESHS, and climate finance categories for the upgrade. These data points have now been fully integrated into the upgraded GPP portal alongside a redesigned user dashboard.
Mr. Sendugwa noted that the importance of sustainability disclosure was further demonstrated through AFIC’s pilot work with Kampala Capital City Authority, where World Bank-funded projects required the publication of environmental and sustainability-related information. He also observed that contract performance remains a recurring concern across procurement forums, underscoring the need for improved infrastructure data disclosure and monitoring.
He called upon Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs) to actively publish quality data and reaffirmed AFIC’s commitment to supporting stakeholders through capacity building, data analysis, and user feedback initiatives.
Dr. Aloysius Byaruhanga, PPDA
Opening the event, PPDA Executive Director Benson Turamye, represented by Dr. Aloysius Byaruhanga, Director of Performance Monitoring, reaffirmed PPDA’s commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in public procurement. He noted that the upgraded Government Procurement Portal (GPP) strengthens PPDA’s statutory mandate to publish procurement information of public interest and supports evidence-based oversight of public investments.
Dr. Byaruhanga further revealed that Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority is finalizing legal and administrative measures to improve compliance with infrastructure data disclosure requirements across government entities. The Authority will continue supporting institutions through training, compliance monitoring, and data quality assurance to ensure that published information is timely, accurate, and useful for decision-making.
The portal upgrade consultant, Michael Cengkuru, explained that the original GPP platform primarily focused on procurement planning, tendering, contract awards, and contracting processes. The upgraded version now captures additional information on project implementation, operation, maintenance, decommissioning, sustainability, and climate finance, making it a more comprehensive public accountability tool.
Cengkuru emphasized the importance of integrated project information, noting that, “You cannot track what you cannot link.”
During stakeholder discussions, participants welcomed the improvements while highlighting the need for expanded capacity-building efforts, particularly for local governments where technical capacity and awareness of disclosure requirements remain uneven. PPDA committed to addressing these challenges and exploring opportunities for greater interoperability between government procurement systems.
Eng. Tonny Richard Mugenyi, Commissioner for Construction Industry Development and Regulation. (MoWT)
Delivering closing remarks on behalf of Hon. Fred Byamukama, Minister of Works and Transport, Eng. Tonny Richard Mugenyi described the relaunch as an important step towards promoting open, accountable, and efficient infrastructure delivery in Uganda. He commended PPDA, AFIC, CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, and development partners, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), for their contribution to strengthening Uganda’s public infrastructure governance.
He emphasized that transparency is essential to achieving Uganda’s development ambitions under the Fourth National Development Plan and the Government’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, where infrastructure investment remains a key driver of economic transformation.
“The way we plan, procure, implement, and monitor infrastructure projects matters greatly. It is not enough to invest public resources; we must ensure that these resources are used transparently, efficiently, and in a manner that delivers value for money,” Eng. Mugenyi noted.
Eng. Mugenyi further described the upgraded portal as a governance tool that enhances public access to information, supports citizen engagement, strengthens oversight, and promotes value for money in public investments. He called upon all Procuring and Disposing Entities to embrace disclosure as an integral component of effective infrastructure management.
The event concluded with the official relaunch of the Government Procurement Portal officiated by Eng. Tonny Richard Mugenyi who reaffirmed Government’s support for the initiative and the Ministry of Works and Transport’s role as champion of CoST Uganda in promoting infrastructure transparency, citizen engagement, and value for money in public investments.
Stakeholders committed to strengthen infrastructure transparency through the publication and use of infrastructure sustainability information. Participants expressed optimism that the enhanced platform will improve project oversight, support compliance with sustainability requirements, and increase public confidence in the management of Uganda’s infrastructure investments.
