New committee, big stakes: Uganda moves to make public projects work

KAMPALA - In Uganda’s push to turn ambitious development plans into real, functioning projects, one persistent challenge has remained: how to ensure that public investments are not just approved, but properly planned, executed, and maintained.

Last week in Munyonyo, the government signalled a renewed attempt to close that gap.
At Speke Resort, the Director of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hannington Ashaba, officially inaugurated the Operations Technical Committee for the Public Investment Management Plus initiative, known as PIMPLUS. On paper, it is another committee.

In practice, officials say, it is meant to fix a system that often struggles to deliver value from public spending.

PIMPLUS sits at the centre of a broader reform agenda under the Public Finance Management Reform Strategy, designed to improve how government projects are conceived, funded, and implemented.

It is also closely tied to Uganda’s long-term development priorities, including the National Development Plan IV and the Tenfold Growth Strategy, frameworks aimed at accelerating economic growth.

But for many Ugandans, those frameworks can feel distant. The real question is simpler: will roads be completed on time? Will hospitals function as intended? Will public assets be maintained rather than left to deteriorate?

That is where the new committee comes in. Comprising 29 members drawn from 17 institutions, the Operations Technical Committee is tasked with providing the technical backbone for the PIMPLUS programme.

According to the Ministry of Finance, its role is to ensure that government investments are not only approved, but also aligned, coordinated, and executed as planned.

In practical terms, that means bringing greater discipline to how projects move from idea to implementation.

The committee will oversee how different government entities plan and spend their budgets, ensuring that allocations match priorities outlined in the programme expenditure framework. It will also provide technical guidance and coordination across ministries and agencies—areas where fragmentation has often slowed progress.

At its core, the initiative is about improving accountability. Public investment, particularly in infrastructure and services, consumes a significant portion of government expenditure.

Yet delays, cost overruns, and underperforming projects have, at times, undermined their impact. By strengthening oversight and coordination, officials hope PIMPLUS can help ensure that resources translate into tangible results.

The emphasis on asset management is equally important.

Building infrastructure is one challenge, but maintaining it is another. Roads, schools, and public facilities often deteriorate due to limited maintenance planning.

PIMPLUS aims to address that gap by integrating asset management into the investment cycle, ensuring that projects are not only built, but sustained. For the Ministry of Finance, the message is clear: better systems lead to better outcomes.

The inauguration of the committee marks the operational phase of that effort, moving from policy design to implementation. It reflects a recognition that achieving Uganda’s development goals will depend not just on how much is spent, but on how effectively it is managed.

Whether this new structure delivers on its promise will depend on execution.

Committees can coordinate, advise, and guide. But ultimately, the success of PIMPLUS will be measured in completed projects, functional infrastructure, and services that reach the people they are meant to serve.

If it works, the impact may not always be visible in announcements. It will be seen in roads that last longer, projects that finish on schedule, and public investments that finally deliver what they promise.