Buhweju,Uganda – Parliamentary pressure to transform Buhweju District’s road network has intensified, as the district’s three legislators call for stronger coordination, accountability and practical action to address persistent infrastructure challenges.
The renewed push brings together Hon. Zadock Mutekanga, Member of Parliament for Buhweju County and Chairperson of the District Roads Committee, Hon. Karisa Koy, MP for Buhweju West, and Hon. Nnamara Annet Oyes Byamukama, Woman MP for Buhweju District.
At the centre of the campaign is a proposed UGX 40 billion road rehabilitation strategy covering 46 road sections with a combined distance of 457 kilometres. The proposal, fronted by Hon. Nnamara Oyes, advocates for a more cost-effective and coordinated approach to rehabilitating rural roads, rather than relying on expensive, fragmented individual contracts.
The intervention comes amid growing concern over major road infrastructure projects in the district. Hon. Mutekanga recently raised concerns in Parliament over the Bwizibwera–Nyakambu road bridge, which is yet to get a contractor, and the incomplete Kamira Bridge, whose delayed works continue to disrupt transport and trade.
Beyond individual projects, Mutekanga also questioned the wider system of road contracting in Uganda, particularly the absence of a standardised unit-cost benchmark. He argued that this gap allows contractors to prepare their own Bills of Quantities, raising concerns over inflated infrastructure costs. The Speaker of Parliament reportedly commended him for raising a matter that extends beyond Buhweju to the national road sector.
Meanwhile, Hon. Koy has raised concerns over the quality of road works at local level, particularly the quality of murram used on some roads and inadequate supervision of projects. He called for stronger accountability to ensure that allocated funds deliver durable roads capable of withstanding Buhweju’s heavy rains.
Hon. Nnamara Annet Oyes Byamukama has separately championed the UGX 40 billion framework, arguing that better cost control and prudent use of public resources could rehabilitate a substantial portion of the district’s road network at a lower cost.
The three interventions are presented as complementary: Mutekanga’s parliamentary oversight and national policy advocacy, Koy’s focus on grassroots implementation and quality assurance, and Oyes’ proposed financing and rehabilitation framework.
The emerging challenge now is whether the legislators can translate their separate interventions into a coordinated parliamentary and executive campaign capable of securing funding and actual implementation.
For a district whose economy depends heavily on agriculture, mining, trade and movement of people, improved road connectivity remains critical to linking communities to markets and essential services. A united parliamentary front, analysts argue, could provide stronger leverage to turn the proposed road strategy from a policy proposal into tangible infrastructure on the ground.
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