As concerns grow over delays, procurement bottlenecks and implementation challenges within the Ministry of Works and Transport, attention within Uganda’s infrastructure sector is increasingly turning to experienced technocrats seen as capable of restoring efficiency and project delivery.
Among the names frequently mentioned in policy and engineering circles is Eng. David Ssali Luyimbazi, a longtime infrastructure planner whose career has spanned key government institutions including the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Luyimbazi is widely known within technical circles for his work in infrastructure planning and institutional systems development rather than public political engagement.
At UNRA, where he served as Director of Planning between 2008 and 2015, he was part of the team that oversaw the preparation of thousands of kilometres of road projects and mobilised significant financing from development partners including the World Bank, JICA, the European Union and China EXIM Bank.
Officials familiar with the sector say he also contributed to the structuring of Uganda’s early Public-Private Partnership road projects, including the Kampala-Jinja Expressway.
However, several analysts argue that his influence extended beyond project financing and engineering design.
A former UNRA official who spoke on condition of anonymity said Luyimbazi was instrumental in strengthening planning and monitoring systems within the roads sector.
“He understood infrastructure from a systems perspective, not only construction,” the former official said. “A lot of emphasis was placed on planning frameworks, investment pipelines and monitoring mechanisms.”
Some of the systems introduced during that period, including project tracking frameworks and rolling investment plans, remain embedded within sector operations.
The Ministry of Works and Transport continues to face growing pressure over slow project implementation, maintenance gaps and administrative inefficiencies despite continued government investment in infrastructure.
Sector observers say the challenge increasingly lies not only in financing, but in institutional coordination and execution.
“The conversation now is shifting toward implementation discipline and institutional leadership,” a transport sector analyst said. “There is concern about whether existing systems are functioning effectively enough to support government infrastructure targets.”
After leaving UNRA, Luyimbazi served as Deputy Executive Director at Kampala Capital City Authority between 2020 and 2024, where he supervised urban infrastructure programmes, digital systems and financial management processes.
During his tenure, KCCA implemented several road and smart city projects while also expanding digital revenue collection systems.
Observers say his experience at KCCA broadened his administrative credentials beyond transport infrastructure into urban governance and public financial management.
“He has operated both as a technical engineer and a senior public administrator,” a governance expert noted. “That combination is not very common.”
Several individuals who have worked with Luyimbazi describe him as methodical, technically grounded and focused on institutional processes.
In a public sector frequently criticised over accountability concerns, some officials say his professional reputation has remained relatively intact over the years.
His academic background has also contributed to his standing within infrastructure and policy circles. Luyimbazi holds a Master of Science degree in Major Programme Management from the University of Oxford and a Master’s degree in Highway Engineering from the University of Birmingham.
The growing discussion around his name reflects a wider debate about leadership and competence within Uganda’s public institutions as government pursues ambitious infrastructure and economic transformation programmes.
Analysts say the conversation increasingly centres on whether ministries require politically aligned leadership or technically experienced managers capable of strengthening implementation systems.
“The broader issue is institutional effectiveness,” one analyst said. “There is growing recognition that technical competence and systems management matter if large infrastructure programmes are to succeed.”
