Roads budget: sh4.17 trillion prioritised in FY 2026/27

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The roads subsector will absorb sh4.17 trillion, accounting for more than half of the total sh8.3 trillion allocation to the transport sector.

This was revealed by works and transport minister Gen. Katumba Wamala, while presenting the ministry’s Ministerial Policy Statement to Parliament’s Physical Infrastructure Committee, chaired by Nwoya County legislator Tony Awany, on April 1, 2026, at Speke Resort in Munyonyo.

National roads will receive sh3.63 trillion, while District, Urban and Community Access Roads are allocated sh330.34 billion, up from sh103.78 billion in the financial year 2025/26.

Other key priorities include completing ongoing road construction projects at sh758.38 billion, routine maintenance at sh70 billion, and urban traffic improvements at Busega Junction at sh44 billion, as well as interchanges at Busabala, Kigo, and the Kampala Marriott ring road at sh25 billion.

The ministry plans to upgrade 697.6km, complete 257km of ongoing upgrades, and construct 299km of new roads. Notable projects include Muyembe–Nakapiripirit (92km), Apac–Lira–Puranga (100.1km), Tororo–Busia (26km), and Kira–Matugga with five junction improvements. Local government roads will also undergo rehabilitation, grading, and gravelling across districts to enhance rural connectivity.

Land acquisition continues to emerge as a critical cost driver in infrastructure delivery. The ministry has allocated about sh338 billion for the acquisition of the right of way along the Kampala–Jinja Expressway, one of Uganda’s flagship road projects.

Overall, the government plans to acquire 284.1 hectares of land in the next financial year to pave the way for ongoing and planned road projects, in a bid to minimise disruptions caused by compensation delays.