President Museveni appoints Eng. Kitonsa new engineer-in-chief

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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Engineer Stephen Kiwanuka Kitonsa as the new engineer in chief, replacing Eng. Samson Bagonza, who retired in July last year.

Works Ministry spokesperson Susan Kataike confirmed the appointment, saying, “he was appointed and confirmed as the new engineer in chief on December 3, 2025.”

On Wednesday, Eng. Kitonsa thanked the President for the trust and confidence, as well as his colleagues at the Ministry of Works and Transport.

“I am grateful,” Kitonsa said.

Eng. Kitonsa, who has been serving in an acting capacity, now becomes the twelfth engineer in chief. He takes office at a time when Government has dissolved the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and merged it with the Ministry of Works and Transport. 

The engineer in chief is responsible for overseeing the four departments under the Ministry’s Engineering Directorate and for providing technical support on engineering matters across various government bodies. He also offers technical and advisory services to ministries, agencies and local governments on engineering and construction issues.

Kitonsa has served in the Ministry of Works and Transport for the last 34 years. He joined the ministry in 1991 as a civil engineer before rising through the ranks to senior civil engineer, principal engineer, assistant commissioner and commissioner, and has now been elevated to his current position.

His appointment follows President Museveni’s directive issued in November, instructing the Ministry of Works to ensure that all roads are maintained. While campaigning in Agule in Pallisa district, the President said the Ministry of Works and Transport had the necessary equipment, but staff “were sleeping on their jobs.”

He added that he had directed the Minister of Works, Gen. Katumba Wamala, to ensure that district equipment, including rollers, graders and excavators, is deployed to the roads to begin work.