In 2024, the Ministry of Works and Transport proudly unveiled a Shs 21 billion procurement plan for heavy road construction equipment. Bulldozers, graders, excavators, and tippers were purchased to accelerate road works across Uganda’s districts. The announcement was met with optimism: finally, local governments would have the tools to maintain feeder roads and improve rural connectivity. Two years later, however, much of this equipment sits idle in dusty yards, rusting under the sun, while roads remain impassable. The scandal has exposed yet another layer of negligence within the Ministry.
The Auditor General’s 2025/26 report revealed that Shs 12.7 billion worth of equipment was lying unused in district stores. In some cases, machines had not even been registered or assigned operators. “We found graders parked for over 18 months without a single hour of operation,” the report stated. “The Ministry failed to deploy equipment despite urgent road maintenance needs.”
One glaring case occurred in Soroti District, where two bulldozers valued at Shs 1.8 billion were delivered in July 2024. By August 2026, they had not been used. Local officials admitted they lacked trained operators. “We requested training from the Ministry, but nothing was done,” said District Engineer Peter Okello. “The machines are gathering dust while our roads are washed away by rains.” His frustration reflects the broader incompetence of the Ministry, which procured equipment without planning for deployment.
In Lira District, a grader worth Shs 620 million was parked for over a year because fuel allocations were never approved. “We were told to wait for funds from Kampala,” said a district officer. “Meanwhile, villagers are forced to repair roads with hoes and wheelbarrows.” The irony is painful: millions spent on machinery, yet communities continue to rely on manual labor.
The negligence extended to maintenance. In Mbale, excavators worth Shs 2.4 billion broke down within months due to lack of servicing. Spare parts were never ordered, and mechanics were not contracted. “The Ministry bought machines but forgot that they need maintenance,” said a whistle‑blower. “It was like buying toys for display.” As a result, taxpayers lost billions while equipment deteriorated beyond repair.
The scandal has sparked outrage in Parliament. Hon. Betty Aol Ochan, MP for Gulu, declared: “This is criminal negligence. Shs 12 billion worth of equipment is idle while our people suffer. Ministry officials slept on the job, and Ugandans are paying the price.” Her words echoed the anger of legislators who demanded accountability and recovery of funds.
Civil society groups have also condemned the waste. The Uganda Road Users Association issued a statement: “We cannot accept a situation where equipment is procured for political showmanship but never deployed. Officials must explain why billions were spent on machines that never moved.” Their call reflects growing public impatience with a Ministry that appears indifferent to service delivery.
The Ministry’s defense has been feeble. In a press release, officials claimed “delays in training and logistical challenges” had stalled deployment. Yet, the Auditor General’s report contradicted this, noting that funds for training were allocated but never utilized. “The Ministry ignored its own budget provisions,” the report concluded. “Equipment remained idle due to poor planning and lack of oversight.”
The human cost of this negligence is immense. Farmers in Soroti struggle to transport produce because feeder roads are impassable. Schoolchildren in Lira wade through mud to reach classrooms. Ambulances in Mbale break down on rough roads. Each idle machine is not just a financial scandal but a symbol of official indifference to the suffering of ordinary Ugandans.
As one frustrated resident of Soroti put it: “We see the bulldozers parked every day, but our roads are still broken. It feels like the government bought decorations, not machines.”
The idle equipment scandal illustrates a broader malaise in Uganda’s infrastructure management: a culture of complacency, poor planning, and lack of accountability. Officials procured machinery without training operators, without allocating fuel, and without planning maintenance. Unless accountability is enforced, billions will continue to be wasted while communities remain stranded.
Uganda’s development agenda cannot survive such negligence. Roads are lifelines of commerce, and their collapse undermines every sector from agriculture to health. The Ministry of Works must wake up from its slumber, enforce accountability, and restore public confidence. Otherwise, the bulldozers will remain monuments to incompetence, parked forever in dusty yards.
