KAMPALA, August 8, 2026 — Members of Parliament [MPs] have expressed concern after an internal audit report revealed that 10,446 vehicles could not be reconciled in toll records for the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, raising questions over revenue collection and the integrity of the electronic tolling system.
The report showed that 586 vehicles could not be accounted for in November 2024, resulting in an estimated revenue shortfall of about Shs 407 million. A further 2,860 vehicles were missing from the toll records in December 2025, while more than 7,000 vehicles could not be reconciled in May 2026, translating into suspected revenue losses exceeding Shs 1 billion.
The revelation has prompted legislators on the Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure to demand explanations from the Ministry of Works and Transport over discrepancies in toll revenue collections, unaccounted-for vehicles and the management of billions of shillings invested in Uganda’s first toll road project.
The committee, chaired by Mwine Mpaka, on Thursday, questioned officials from the ministry led by Minister of State for Works, Fred Byamukama, alongside representatives of expressway operator EGIS and contractor Pinnacle, as lawmakers examined findings contained in the Auditor General’s Report for the Financial Year 2024/25.
The discrepancies raised questions about the integrity, reliability and security of the electronic toll collection system.
Byamukama told the committee that the Government secured a US$ 350mln [about Shs 1.2 trillion] loan in 2021 to finance construction of the expressway.
MPs questioned whether taxpayers were receiving value for money after the ministry disclosed that since tolling commenced, approximately Shs 129bln had been collected in toll revenue, while about Shs 122bln had already been paid to the contractor responsible for operating the tolling system.
James Waluswaka, the Bunyole West County MP, questioned whether the expenditure could be justified given the recurring operational deficiencies highlighted by auditors.
“When almost as much money goes to the contractor as what Government collects from motorists, Parliament must ask whether Ugandans are obtaining value for money from this investment,” he argued.
The ministry explained that payments under the performance-based maintenance contract vary depending on whether contractors meet agreed key performance indicators.
According to ministry officials, deductions have been imposed for failures including non-functional street lighting, damaged guardrails, defective road signs, poor road cleanliness and delays in implementing the overload control system.
Officials disclosed that approximately Shs 55mln has consistently been deducted because the overload control system remains incomplete.
The committee also questioned why Shs 1.6bln allocated for the installation of weigh-in-motion bridges had not been utilised.
Isaac Wani, an engineer at the ministry, attributed the delay to unsuitable terrain near the existing toll plazas. He explained that the funds had instead been rolled into a subsequent contract to facilitate the installation of fixed weighbridges at the toll plazas and weigh-in-motion equipment along the Northern Bypass.
Wani said axle-load enforcement was essential to protecting the structural integrity and extending the lifespan of the expressway, prompting lawmakers to question why such a critical component had been deferred while other infrastructure had been completed.
The committee further demanded accountability over vehicles exempted from paying toll charges and questioned whether the exemptions complied with the law in the absence of supporting statutory instruments.
Lawmakers warned that discretionary exemptions without proper legal backing could undermine transparency and accountability in toll revenue collection.
Another area of concern was transactions through the Automated Payment Collection Unit account, which was established to temporarily receive electronic toll payments before their remittance to the Consolidated Fund.
The ministry’s Undersecretary, Barbara Namugambe, requested additional time to reconcile the records.
“I need more time to compile and submit all the factual reports required by this committee,” she said.
Deputy Chairperson of the committee and Ayivu Division East MP, William Tiyo, also questioned why the ministry spent more than Shs 200mln on training in India despite the supervising contractor being a French company.
Tiyo demanded evidence that the training had improved the management and operation of the toll road.
The committee directed the ministry to submit a comprehensive report detailing the beneficiaries of the training, training modules, expenditure and measurable outcomes by next Wednesday.
https://thecooperator.news/house-approves-shs-781bln-loan-for-busega-mpigi-expressway-project/
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