Kampala, Uganda: The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala, has intensified investigations into the multibillion-shilling Busega–Mpigi Expressway project after conducting an onsite inspection aimed at gathering evidence into alleged embezzlement of funds and examining the factors behind the project’s escalating costs.
The inspection, carried out on Monday, July 27, forms part of the Inspectorate of Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability in the implementation of major public infrastructure projects and ensure value for money in government expenditure.
The 23-kilometre Busega–Mpigi Expressway, together with its 20 kilometres of access roads, has come under scrutiny following allegations of financial impropriety involving funds allocated for its construction.
Speaking during the inspection, Lady Justice Naluzze said the exercise was intended to establish the actual status of works on the ground and verify the circumstances surrounding the redesign of the project.
“We came to establish what exists on the ground, including the basis for the redesign of the project. The findings from this inspection will provide critical evidence to support our ongoing investigations. We are also keen to understand the factors that led to the project’s cost escalating from UGX 600 billion to UGX 1.3 trillion, so that we can determine whether the increase was justified and in the public interest,” she said.
The IGG noted that the field inspection had uncovered additional areas of inquiry that are expected to strengthen the ongoing investigations.
She said the emerging findings would enable investigators to widen the scope of the probe and establish the full circumstances surrounding the implementation of the expressway project.
Lady Justice Naluzze was accompanied by technical officers from the Ministry of Works and Transport, who provided engineering and technical guidance during the inspection.
Beyond supporting the ongoing investigations, the visit was aimed at identifying the bottlenecks that have delayed the multibillion-shilling infrastructure project and determining whether any officials compromised the project’s design or implementation for personal gain.
The Inspectorate reiterated its commitment to ensuring that any public officials found culpable are held accountable in accordance with the law.
The IGG’s delegation included Director of Project, Risk Monitoring and Control Annet Twine, Director of Legal Affairs Hilda Talibba, Assistant Director of Public Relations Hajjat Munira Ali, and other officials from the Inspectorate of Government.
The latest development follows the Ministry of Works and Transport’s implementation of an IGG directive issued on July 1, 2026, which resulted in the suspension of two engineers, Edwin Raymond Kiyaga and Dickens Ahimbisibwe, over allegations relating to the alleged embezzlement of funds earmarked for the construction of the Busega–Mpigi Expressway and its access roads.
Investigations into the matter remain ongoing.
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