KCCA IN ROADS SHAME! Billions Burned, Projects Stall, & K’la Left In Dust As Probe Exposes KCRRP Rot
Kampala is choking, and now the truth is out in black and white. A damning Auditor General’s report has ripped the lid off the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP), exposing a shocking trail of delays, questionable payments, engineering blunders and outright neglect under the watch of top Kampala Capital City Authority bosses led by Executive Director Hajjat Buzeki Sharifah, Director Physical Planning Vincent B. Byendaimira and Director Engineering and Technical Services Eng. Justus Akankwasa.
What was sold to Ugandans as a grand plan to fix Kampala’s chaotic road network has instead turned into a slow-moving disaster soaked in inefficiency, poor planning and financial mismanagement, leaving taxpayers footing the bill while dust, potholes and broken infrastructure dominate the city.
The report paints a grim picture from the very start. Despite millions of dollars being pumped into the project, only three roads have been completed while a staggering twenty-five are still dragging on, and four have not even begun. This is despite the fact that 43 percent of AfDB funds and 37.52 percent of AFDF funds had already been released. Even more baffling, out of USD 106.99 million available, USD 100.17 million — a massive 94 percent — had already been spent, yet the roads remain unfinished, exposing glaring inefficiencies in execution.
The Auditor General did not mince words, pointing out that “works are still ongoing on twenty-five roads, four roads have not yet commenced, and only three roads have been completed,” a statement that raises serious questions about how such vast sums could be spent with so little to show on the ground.
Digging deeper, the report reveals that implementation of activities has been nothing short of chaotic. Thirty-two activities were only partially implemented, while six activities worth UGX 27.54 billion were not implemented at all. Meanwhile, a USD 2 million allocation from the Global Environment Fund meant for solid waste management has sat idle for four years without a single coin being disbursed.
Then comes one of the most shocking revelations — the plight of Project Affected Persons (PAPs). While UGX 75.37 billion was earmarked to compensate 4,232 affected individuals, by the end of the 2024/2025 financial year, only 11 people had been paid. Yes, just eleven. The payments themselves only began in that same financial year, with UGX 472.7 million paid out, leaving billions still sitting untouched in the Bank of Uganda under the watch of Treasury Services Director Charles Moses Waibi.
The Auditor General highlighted this glaring injustice, noting that billions remain unutilized while thousands of affected citizens continue to wait, a delay that has significantly stalled access to project sites and slowed progress.
And it gets worse. Contractors working on the project have been subjected to payment delays averaging 34 days, with some stretching beyond 42 days. These delays have triggered additional costs in financing charges, further bleeding public funds. In some cases, payments to contractors were delayed by up to 321 days, leading to claims amounting to UGX 699 million and USD 115,325.
The engineering audit exposes even deeper rot. From the very beginning, there was no evidence that designs were submitted to the Ministry of Works and Transport for approval, a blatant violation of the Roads Act. Non-motorized transport infrastructure was poorly incorporated, undermining the project’s own objectives.
The report bluntly states that “there was no evidence of collaboration with and submission of designs for review and approval,” raising serious concerns about how such a massive project could proceed without proper oversight.
Procurement processes were equally disastrous, with delays ranging from 116 to 838 days before contractors were even brought on board. These delays crippled the project before it could properly begin. Even worse, financial requirements for contractors were set below recommended standards, opening the door for underqualified firms to take on critical works.
The chaos extended to land acquisition, where delays of up to 1,030 days in securing right of way crippled progress across multiple project lots. Without access to land, contractors were left stuck, further compounding delays.
Design reviews were also late by up to eight months, while inadequate ground investigations increased the risk of costly variations during construction. The Auditor General warned that such failures “hindered the timely approval of design recommendations and subsequently affected the Contractors’ sequencing and timely completion of works.”
Utility relocation turned into another financial black hole. Delays of up to 882 days were recorded, while costs skyrocketed by as much as 112 percent in some cases. Worse still, UGX 636.5 million was overstated due to inclusion of unnecessary items and errors, and UGX 640.2 million was irregularly paid for works that should not have been billed.
The report is clear: “Failure to adequately plan and execute the relocation works resulted in increased cost of relocations, delays in completion and affecting progress of the works.”
Progress on the roads themselves has been painfully slow, with delays of up to 834 days and performance lagging by as much as 34 percent. Despite contractors failing to meet targets, liquidated damages worth UGX 12.76 billion were never claimed, effectively letting contractors off the hook while government loses out.
The Auditor General warned that “unclaimed or forfeited damages deny Government compensation for failure by the contractors to deliver the project works in time.”
Meanwhile, irregularities in price adjustments led to questionable payments, including an irregular USD 1.38 million and additional overpayments that should never have occurred. Even more alarming, UGX 1.217 billion was overpaid due to inflated overhead charges, and further overpayments were made through incorrect interest calculations and double payments.
On the ground, the situation is just as dire. Inspections revealed damaged drainage systems, broken manholes, uneven walkways, erosion, poor workmanship and widespread defects across all project lots. Roads already show signs of failure even before completion.
Environmental and safety standards have also been grossly ignored. From sewage spilling onto roads to oil leaks, unprotected manholes, poor waste disposal and lack of safety equipment, the report exposes a project riddled with negligence that puts both the environment and human lives at risk.
The Auditor General observed “failure to implement adequate environmental, social, health and safety measures,” warning that this exposes the public to serious dangers.
Quality tests on construction materials delivered yet another blow. Asphalt, gravel, sand and aggregates failed multiple quality parameters, raising fears that the roads may not last. Poor compaction, low bitumen content and weak materials threaten to turn these already delayed roads into short-lived infrastructure disasters.
Even supervision of the works was found wanting. There was inadequate staffing, use of unapproved personnel, lack of insurance cover and poor reporting, leaving the project vulnerable to errors, negligence and financial risk.
By the time the audit wrapped up, overpayments totaling UGX 2.61 billion had been identified, with UGX 1.82 billion still outstanding despite partial recoveries.
The Auditor General’s message is loud and clear — this project has been plagued by poor planning, weak oversight and failure by those entrusted to deliver it.
As Kampala residents continue to endure traffic jams, dust, flooding and broken roads, the big question now is: who will be held accountable?
Because behind the figures, behind the delays, and behind the crumbling roads lies a painful truth — billions have been spent, but the city is still waiting.
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