Speaker Among questions UNRA merger as roads deteriorate

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Speaker Anita Among has questioned the decision to rationalise the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), noting that although the move was intended to enhance government efficiency, the situation on the roads appears to be getting out of hand.

While chairing plenary on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, the Bukedea Woman MP raised concerns about the worsening state of roads in Uganda.

She noted the alarming rise in crashes, citing the recent high-profile crash involving Rajiv Ruparelia on the Kampala Expressway.

To make matters worse, she pointed out that contractors, rather than swiftly completing their work, have been leaving blocks on the roads without proper signage and removing them at their own pace.

Saying that they thought by mainstreaming UNRA, which was headed by Allen Kagina, into the Ministry of Works and Transport, now headed by General Katumba Wamala, things would improve.

“To our disappointment, things have continued worsening every day, when you look at this road to Mityana, to Karuma, within town here, so many accidents are happening. The potholes can even swallow a whole car. Because they are not being maintained. So, I don’t know whether it was a good idea to rationalise UNRA in the name of efficiency,” Among wondered.

She added that although Parliament recently allocated sh955.812 billion to the Ministry of Works and Transport, of which sh63.512 billion was specifically earmarked to cover terminal benefits for UNRA staff affected by the public sector reforms, news reaching her indicates that the funds have yet to be put to use.

The aforementioned sum formed part of the sh4 trillion supplementary budget that was recently approved by the House. However, the issue of terminal benefits could spark legal disputes, as UNRA had initially proposed terminal benefits of sh196.7 billion for affected employees. The figure included severance packages for the affected employees.

“There is a claim that the money has not been released. Yet on April 17, 2025, the House passed a resolution to reallocate a budget for the works that were pending from Works and that was out of Rationalisation of Public Expenditure (RAPEX). And that money was sent to Works,” she pointed out.

“Now, we want a report from the Minister of Works on what is happening on the roads, especially Kampala and on the accident that happened on Kampala Express Highway and how they are handling the contractors that are working on those roads. That report should be able to come to the House tomorrow. We cannot continue losing people day in, day out and yet we have a whole ministry responsible for works,” Among ordered.

Savings from mainstreaming UNRA

Official documents seen by New Vision indicate that UNRA’s total Government of Uganda (GoU) budget for the 2023/24 financial year was sh1.067 trillion.

This comprised sh71.105 billion for wages, sh37.44 billion for non-wage expenses, and sh958.414 billion for development.

During rationalisation, the calculation was that if UNRA’s functions were absorbed into the Ministry, the Government could save about forty percent of the GoU portion, which comes to approximately sh427.186 billion.

“UNRA (responsible for 21,000km) has a staff establishment of 1,397 employees, compared to the Tanzania Roads Agency (responsible for 34,500km) with a staff establishment of 700 employees. Ghana Highways Authority (responsible for 14,000km) has a staff establishment of 680 (Source: UNABSEC Advisory Note to the Committee of Parliament on Physical Infrastructure),” the Physical Infrastructure Committee stated.

“UNRA's staff establishment of 1,397 translates into eight staff per 100km of road network compared to the regional average of two staff per 100km,” MPs added.