Delayed land acquisition stalling roadworks, says Byamukama
Uganda's Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, stated that delayed land acquisition is the primary cause for stalled road and bridge construction projects. A significant portion of the country's road network remains unpaved due to these logistical and financial hurdles.
Why it matters
Infrastructure development is vital for economic growth, and these delays highlight the systemic challenges in land rights and project management in developing nations.
Abandoned road work along Akokoro Road in Apac Municipality has blocked access to local businesses, leaving traders counting losses. November 6, 2025. PHOTO/SANTO OJOK
The Minister of Works and Transport, Mr Fred Byamukama, has revealed that the delayed land acquisition is among the key challenges that is affecting the speedy construction, upgrading and rehabilitation of various roads and bridges.
Presenting a detailed statement on the status of the roads in the country, Mr Byamukama said various roads would be completed by now if the land was acquired in time.
“…Out of the total road network of 159,561km, the largest network comprising of 150,679km is unpaved, representing about 94.43 percent and only 5.57 percent is paved… we are faced with a challenge of the high costs of acquiring Right of Way (RoW) for Transport Infrastructure Projects, and climate change effects, which lead to deterioration of transport asset,” he said.
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