news 9 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Bridge Projects Stall Amidst Contractor Payment Delays
Multiple government-funded bridge projects worth Shs46 billion are experiencing significant delays. Contractors have informed Parliament's Government Assurances Committee that they have not received timely payments, leading to stalled construction. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/bridge-works-stall-as-contractors-report-delayed-payment-5588794
Construction on several critical government bridge projects has ground to a halt, with contractors citing delayed payments as the primary cause. The projects, collectively valued at Shs46 billion, are now facing extended timelines, some having been stalled for over seven years. This situation came to light when Parliament’s Government Assurances Committee, chaired by Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, conducted field inspections.
The committee’s oversight, which included visits to regions such as West Nile, Lango, Tororo, and Namisindwa, aimed to verify the progress of these infrastructure investments and ensure that public funds were being utilized effectively. However, the inspections revealed a concerning trend: despite official records indicating that funds had been disbursed for these bridge works, contractors reported a lack of expected payments. This financial impasse has resulted in work cessation, leaving several contracts on the verge of expiry in November 2026 with the construction far from complete.
State Minister for Works and Transport, Musa Ali Siragi, has acknowledged the payment challenges, noting that some individuals affected by the project developments are awaiting compensation. The Ministry’s representatives appeared before the committee to address these and other issues raised in the Auditor General’s report concerning incomplete bridge constructions. The committee is now probing the discrepancies between reported fund releases and actual contractor payments, raising questions about financial management and project oversight.