The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has given the green light for the upgrading of the 103km Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo Road to bitumen standard following a probe into alleged corruption. The investigation was initiated after a whistleblower, in a letter dated December 1, 2023, petitioned the PPDA executive director, pointing out high-level irregularities, impunity, and corruption in the road construction project’s procurement.
The whistleblower raised concerns about the premature elimination of the lowest bidder by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) evaluation committee on June 30, 2023. The UNRA committee recommended the second lowest bidder, prompting the call for an administrative review by the PPDA before awarding the contract.
In response to the whistleblower’s concerns, the PPDA executive director, Mr. Patrick Kyakulaga, stated in a letter dated December 13, 2023, that the evaluation committee correctly eliminated China Communications Construction Company due to an abnormally low bid and its failure to justify underpriced rates. The PPDA recommended Chongqin International Construction Company for the contract at a price of Shs368,798,180.
Mr. Habib Jogoo, National Unity Platform mobilizer for northern Uganda, called for the apprehension of those involved in the corruption scandal. However, the communications officer at UNRA, Mr. Allan Ssempebwa, expressed the organization’s focus on concluding the ongoing procurement process to determine when the contractor would start work.
The Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo Road project, approved by the World Bank directors on September 10, 2020, involves a grant of $130.8 million (approximately Shs495 billion) from the International Development Association. The project aims to enhance the movement of goods and people, improve access to social services, and create job opportunities in Koboko, Yumbe, and Moyo districts, which are refugee hosting areas in the West Nile Sub-region.
The road, which connects the three districts to the South Sudan border, has been in poor condition for decades, making it impassable during the rainy season and causing dust issues in the dry season.
