Uganda’s construction industry is moving into a high-intensity delivery cycle as several multi-year megaprojects approach completion.

A proposed bidirectional petroleum-products pipeline would allow refined fuel to move between Uganda and Tanzania according to demand, while the Tanga refinery is intended to complement Uganda's planned 60,000-barrel-per-day Hoima refinery.

The proposal is being presented as a response to Kampala's congestion, limited room for major infrastructure expansion and longstanding spatial-planning problems.

A proposed bidirectional petroleum-products pipeline would allow refined fuel to move between Uganda and Tanzania according to demand, while the Tanga refinery is intended to complement Uganda's planned 60,000-barrel-per-day Hoima refinery.

News Summary: Parliament's Committee on Physical Infrastructure has summoned former Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala and former UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina over weaknesses identified in the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway tolling system. MPs reported problems including manual vehicle classification, misclassification of vehicles and system freezes that can allow vehicles through before payment is recorded. Kampala-Entebbe Expressway; Source: MOWT Con

Right-of-Way acquisition remains a recurring project-delivery constraint, particularly where construction cannot proceed continuously along an entire corridor.

For contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and developers, the most relevant signals are in public infrastructure, tax compliance relief, tourism development, energy infrastructure and regional investment. The budget includes an increase in the mandatory VAT registration threshold from UGX 150 million to UGX 300 million in annual turnover, which could ease compliance pressure on growing local subcontractors, specialist artisans and building material suppliers.

In plain terms, the ruling is a reminder that in Uganda’s construction industry, design deliverables must be genuinely usable, not just submitted on paper.

The Kidepo International Airport project represents one of the most strategically significant infrastructure commitments to northern Uganda in a generation. If delivered on schedule and to specification, it has the potential to restructure tourism flows to Kidepo Valley National Park, reduce the cost of doing business across Karamoja, and establish a new logistics corridor that connects the sub-region more directly to regional and global supply chains.

Why are these new specifications important? Establish uniform standards across projects Improve material quality control and workmanship Strengthen monitoring, evaluation, and accountability Bring clarity to measurement, payment, and acceptance procedures The intent is clear: reduce inconsistencies and improve delivery outcomes.

Prices remain steady this week at approx. Shs32,000 per 50kg bag in Kampala.

Parliament tightens penalties for illegal construction and streamlines approvals. The Building Control (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has been tabled before Parliament for the third and final reading. The bill seeks to introduce targeted amendments to the Building Control Act, Cap. 136. Specifically, the Bill aims to clarify and redefine the composition and powers of the Board, establish the structure of Building Committees, and simplify and improve the processes governing the appro