Land Acquisition Delays Affect 81% of Ongoing National Road Upgrades

News Summary: Delayed land acquisition is affecting 739.3km of the 912.9km of national roads currently undergoing upgrading, which accounts for about 81% of the programme. Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama told Parliament that several projects could have progressed significantly faster if Right-of-Way acquisition had been completed on time. Affected projects include Kira Road, Kabwoya–Buhuka, Mpara–Bwizi and Iganga–Bulopa–Kamuli.

Context

Right-of-Way acquisition remains a recurring project-delivery constraint, particularly where construction cannot proceed continuously along an entire corridor. The 21km Kira Road, for example, began construction in January 2021 but was reported at only 40.1% completion. Government has cited the high cost of acquiring land for transport infrastructure as one of the major challenges affecting road delivery.

Need to Acquire Right of Way before Project Commencement

Stakeholder Implications

Civil Engineering Contractors: Fragmented site possession can disrupt work sequencing, reduce equipment utilisation and extend preliminaries. Contractors working on major road projects may increasingly need programmes that accommodate phased site handovers and uncertain access.

Valuation & Land Acquisition Professionals: Persistent Right-of-Way constraints reinforce the importance of early surveying, valuation, compensation planning and resettlement work before contractors are fully mobilised.