Govt accused of sidelining local firms in favour of foreign engineers

The government has been accused of prioritising foreign engineering companies over local firms in the implementation of major infrastructure projects, a move engineers say is limiting the growth and competitiveness of Uganda's engineering sector.

The concern was raised during a Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) Mbarara Branch tour of Kigezi, where engineers visited a number of infrastructure projects in Kabale and Rubanda and interacted with engineering students at Kabale University.

They called for deliberate government policies to give Ugandan engineering companies greater opportunities to participate in major public projects, saying local firms need practical experience, investment and support to compete effectively in the sector.