KAMPALA — Parliament’s Committee on Physical Infrastructure has directed the Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, to appear before it on Tuesday to explain the continued increase in road accidents and the growing number of road construction projects that have stalled after contractors abandoned the sites.
The committee’s inquiry comes as concerns mount over two longstanding challenges facing Uganda’s transport sector: a persistently high rate of road traffic crashes and delays in delivering public infrastructure projects.
Road safety has remained a key policy issue despite sustained investment in road construction, expansion of the national road network and periodic traffic enforcement campaigns.
Official reports in recent years have continued to show that road crashes claim thousands of lives annually, with speeding, reckless driving, unsafe motorcycles, and poor compliance with traffic regulations among the factors frequently cited by authorities.
At the same time, lawmakers have raised concerns over incomplete road projects in different parts of the country, arguing that prolonged delays increase project costs, inconvenience road users and affect access to markets and essential services.
Previous explanations for stalled projects have included financial constraints, contractual disputes, delayed compensation for affected landowners and underperforming contractors.
During Tuesday’s meeting, MPs are expected to seek clarification on the ministry’s oversight of contractors, the status of delayed projects and the measures being taken to improve road safety and ensure that public infrastructure projects are completed within the agreed timelines.
The committee’s findings could inform further parliamentary recommendations on strengthening project supervision, improving accountability in public works and addressing road safety challenges across the country.
