Ugandan MPs Push for Faster Delivery of Key Road Projects

Hon. Onesimus Twinamasiko, MP for Bugangaizi East County, said several strategic roads linked to Uganda's oil sector remain unfinished despite earlier commitments.

Ugandan lawmakers have urged the government to accelerate the construction and upgrading of major roads across the country, saying improved transport infrastructure is essential for economic growth, regional connectivity and access to public services. The calls came during a parliamentary debate on President Yoweri Museveni's State of the Nation Address, where Members of Parliament pressed for long-promised projects to move beyond the planning stage.

Hon. Onesimus Twinamasiko, MP for Bugangaizi East County, said several strategic roads linked to Uganda's oil sector remain unfinished despite earlier commitments. He highlighted the Nalweyo-Kisiita-Mpasana-Nkoko-Masode Road in Kyankwanzi District, explaining that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline crosses the route three times, making it a critical transport corridor for monitoring and supporting oil development activities. He noted that feasibility studies were completed in 2017 but the project has since stalled.

Regions call for better connectivity and economic opportunities

Members from different parts of the country also raised concerns about roads they believe could unlock trade, tourism and security. Hon. Edward Makmot, MP for Agago County, appealed for funding to complete the Moroto Road, describing it as an important security route that links more than ten districts across the Acholi and Karamoja sub-regions while providing access to mineral-rich areas and Kidepo National Park.

Bududa District Woman Representative Hon. Agnes Khainza urged the Ministry of Works and Transport to prioritise the Bubulo-Bududa circular road, saying the project has repeatedly been promised but has yet to begin. She argued that the road would connect communities, improve market access and deliver the district's first tarmacked road.

Hon. Ivan Kyeyune, MP for Nakasongola County, also called on government to honour earlier commitments to upgrade the Nakasongola-Kalungi-Bamugolodde-Kikyusa road, saying improved transport links would allow farmers to move agricultural produce to markets more efficiently.

Railway expansion and maintenance remain national priorities

Lawmakers also turned their attention to Uganda's wider transport network. Hon. Joy Waako, the Female Older Persons' Representative, welcomed the expansion of roads in many rural areas, saying improved access has made it easier for older people to reach healthcare facilities while allowing ambulances and medical supplies to travel more quickly to remote communities.

Independent MP Hon. Shyam Jay Tanna called for faster progress on Uganda's section of the Standard Gauge Railway, noting that neighbouring Kenya has already advanced work on the Kisumu-Malaba line. He said the railway has the potential to lower transport costs, create employment through new workshops in several towns and strengthen Uganda's position as a regional trade hub. Tanna also urged government to compensate affected landowners promptly and improve road infrastructure surrounding the railway corridor.

In his State of the Nation Address, President Museveni said Uganda continues to work with Kenya and Tanzania on railway and petroleum pipeline projects that will reduce pressure on the country's roads by shifting heavy cargo and fuel transport to more efficient infrastructure, allowing roads to better serve passengers and lighter commercial traffic.