The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala, has expanded investigations into the stalled Busega–Mpigi Expressway project after an onsite inspection uncovered fresh leads that could deepen the probe into alleged financial irregularities.
During the inspection on Monday, the IGG said the visit had revealed new areas of inquiry that would strengthen ongoing investigations into the management and utilisation of funds allocated to the 23-kilometre expressway and its 20 kilometres of access roads.
“We came to establish what exists on the ground, including the basis for the redesign of the project. The findings from this inspection will provide critical evidence to support our ongoing investigations. We are also keen to understand the factors that led to the project’s cost escalating from shs600 billion to shs1.3 trillion, so that we can determine whether the increase was justified and in the public interest,” Lady Justice Naluzze said.
She explained that the inspection, conducted alongside technical officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport, had exposed new areas that would enable investigators to widen the scope of the inquiry and establish the circumstances surrounding the delayed project.
The Inspectorate of Government is investigating whether the redesign, cost escalation and implementation of the project were conducted in accordance with the law, and whether any public officials manipulated the process for personal benefit.
The inspection is also part of wider efforts to identify the challenges that have stalled one of Uganda’s major road infrastructure projects while ensuring accountability and value for public resources.
The latest developments follow the Ministry of Works and Transport’s implementation of an IGG directive issued on July 1, 2026, suspending two engineers — Edwin Raymond Kiyaga and Dickens Ahimbisibwe — over allegations of mismanagement of funds meant for the expressway project.
Lady Justice Naluzze was accompanied by the Director of Project, Risk Monitoring and Control, Annet Twine; Director of Legal Affairs, Hilda Talibba; Assistant Director of Public Relations, Hajjat Munira Ali; and other officials from the Inspectorate of Government.
The IGG’s office said investigations are ongoing and that any individuals found responsible for financial impropriety or abuse of office will be held accountable in accordance with the law.
The Busega–Mpigi Expressway is a key section of the Northern Transport Corridor, linking Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project was launched in 2014 but has faced years of delays.
Following challenges with the original contractor, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), the government replaced the firm with a joint venture between China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway 19th Bureau Group.
The project is funded by the African Development Bank and the African Development Fund, which committed US$151 million for construction, while the government provided US$41 million for land compensation.
Construction officially began in May 2020 but was delayed by land compensation disputes and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2025, the African Development Bank approved an additional Shs891.2 billion (€217 million) to support completion of the long-delayed expressway.
