Uganda's Ambitious Mbarara Airport Project Faces Scrutiny Over Feasibility

A proposed international airport in Mbarara City, planned with extensive runways including one exclusively for VIPs, has sparked debate regarding its viability.

The project, envisioned as a crucial transit, logistical, and refueling point between China and Brazil, has already seen contracts awarded for design and construction.

Huge infrastructure has been planned, including two 5.5-kilometre runways and a separate 3.5-kilometre runway for VIPs, signaling the scale of the ambition.

However, experts have raised significant concerns, pointing out that the project appears to be moving forward without a crucial feasibility study. This bypasses established procedures designed to ensure projects are technically, economically, and environmentally sound.

Questions have been raised about the chosen location’s altitude in Nyakisharara and its potential impact on aircraft payload restrictions. Furthermore, the strategic logic of using western Uganda as a transit point for flights between China and Brazil has been questioned.

The bypassing of due process, particularly the Public Private Partnership Act of 2015, which mandates such studies, is a major point of contention. This act aims to protect public interest and ensure appropriate risk allocation.

Critics suggest that directives from President Museveni, often communicated through “blue letters,” may be overriding these essential safeguards, potentially leading to wasted public funds, as seen in previous projects like the Nakivubo Channel development.

There is a strong call for a return to proper procedural due diligence to avoid the country investing heavily in projects that may not be viable, drawing a parallel to the idea of “flying without wings.”

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/oped/editorial/ensure-uganda-does-not-fly-without-wings-5507230