Engineers under the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) have called for reforms in the allocation and management of road maintenance funds, arguing that local government engineers are often unfairly blamed for the poor state of roads despite operating under limited resources and administrative constraints.

Speaking during the inaugural edition of The UIPE Voice, a public engagement platform organized by the institution, Mbale City Engineer Eng. Daniel Mufumba said the government’s uniform allocation of Shs1 billion for road maintenance does not take into account differences in road network size, terrain and traffic volumes across districts and cities.

Mufumba noted that Mbale City has more than 520 kilometres of roads, yet the annual allocation is sufficient to maintain only about 53 kilometres each year.

He urged the government to adopt a needs-based funding model that prioritizes road rehabilitation alongside routine maintenance.

He also called for harmonized project approval processes and the appointment of substantive district and city engineers to improve service delivery.

Mufumba’s remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of local government engineers following corruption investigations involving road maintenance funds.

Recently, the Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, directed increased accountability in the sector, while the State House Anti-Corruption Unit arrested Mufumba over allegations of misappropriating more than Shs600 million during his tenure as Kamuli District Engineer. The allegations remain under investigation.

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