UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), a World Bank–funded Infrastructure project launched in December 2023, is facing major setbacks due to land disputes, rising utility relocation costs, and procurement delays.
The $566 million (about USh2.1 trillion) initiative aims to modernise roads, markets, and drainage while strengthening institutions across Kampala, Entebbe, Wakiso, Mpigi, and surrounding municipalities.
A mid-term review held in Kampala on September 18–19, 2025, revealed that only 40.4 percent of disbursed funds had been utilised by June 30.
Land acquisition remains a major hurdle, with some property owners resisting voluntary sales, forcing delays in critical road projects.
Kampala Capital City Authority’s utility relocation bill ballooned from USh4.5 billion to USh13 billion, while Kira Municipality’s rose from USh800 million to USh6 billion.
Permanent Secretary Hajji Yunus Kakande said, “This kind of situation complicates matters. We need better coordination by programme-implementing entities to handle land acquisition; otherwise, these disputes will continue to slow everything down.”
World Bank officials raised concerns about compliance with environmental and social safeguards. Abhas Jha, the Bank’s Manager for Urban Development, warned of “serious gaps” in implementation, citing accidents on project sites and stressing that land donations must be “truly voluntary, based on free and informed consent.”
Minister of State for Kampala, Kyofatogabye Kabuye, urged stronger community engagement, saying, “People want progress, but they also want information. Leaders must explain these projects to remove misconceptions.”
Despite challenges, construction is underway in several municipalities. In Kira, works have begun on the Kungu–Bivanju and Mbogo–Cyprian roads, while Mukono Municipality has started infrastructure upgrades.
Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajat Minsa Kabanda, said, “We have strengthened the institutional capacity of GKMA entities, developed new physical development plans, rolled out e-governance systems, and enhanced revenue collection.”
The delays have shortened the project’s implementation period from 66 to 48 months, increasing pressure on institutions to meet targets.
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