Members of Parliament have overwhelmingly rejected the government’s plan to abolish the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), a move that has sparked heated debates and prompted the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, to request additional time to draft new amendments to the Uganda National Roads Authority Amendment Bill 2024.
The decision was made following a review by the Physical Infrastructure Committee, which dismissed the government’s arguments claiming that UNRA’s operations have been a financial burden on government resources, citing the substantial revenue generated by UNRA through toll fees from projects like the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway.
According to reports, UNRA collected a significant sum of Shs75 billion in toll revenues from the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, a revenue stream that contributes to the Consolidated Fund after covering operational and maintenance costs. This revenue is expected to further increase with the completion of the Busega-Mpigi Expressway.
Furthermore, parliament was informed that taxpayers would face a substantial financial burden of Shs227.24 billion to compensate UNRA staff who would be laid off if the agency were to be abolished.
Hon. Dan Kimosho, Chairperson of the Physical Infrastructure Committee, emphasized the exorbitant cost associated with severance packages for UNRA staff, stating, “It is inappropriate to incur this unjustified cost amidst accumulated contractor debts that have to be paid.”
The committee also defended UNRA’s perceived bloated wage bill, arguing that the authority offers attractive remuneration to attract highly skilled staff—a necessity given the Ministry’s historical challenges in recruiting qualified personnel due to low salaries.
Moreover, Hon. Dan Kimosho highlighted the potential setbacks in project implementation and completion that could arise from abolishing UNRA, particularly in ongoing projects financed by loans where UNRA serves as the implementing agency.
The committee stressed that renegotiating these agreements with a new implementing agency would introduce uncertainties and delays.
In contrast to the government’s stance, Minister Katumba Wamala had urged MPs to support the proposal to dissolve UNRA and the Uganda Road Fund, citing the need to eliminate bloated structures within government agencies to curb wasteful expenditure.
The Minister’s call for reform was grounded in the government’s broader objective of optimizing agency functions and minimizing financial strain on the treasury.
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