Kampala: Members of Parliament were stunned after an internal audit report revealed that 10,446 vehicles could not be reconciled in toll records for the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway.
According to African Press Organization, the report showed that 586 vehicles were unaccounted for in November 2024, resulting in an estimated revenue shortfall of about Shs407 million. In December 2025, 2,860 vehicles were missing from toll records, and over 7,000 vehicles were unaccounted for in May 2026, leading to suspected revenue losses exceeding Shs1 billion.
Legislators on the Committee of Physical Infrastructure have tasked the Ministry of Works and Transport to explain the discrepancies in the expressway toll revenue collections, unaccounted-for vehicles, and the management of the significant investment in Uganda's first toll road project. The committee, chaired by Hon. Mwine Mpaka, questioned officials from the ministry, led by Hon. Minister Fred Byamukama, along with representatives of expressway operator EGIS and contractor Pinnacle, while examining the Auditor General's Report for the Financial Year 2024/25.
The revelation has raised concerns about the integrity, reliability, and security of the electronic toll collection system. Hon. Byamukama disclosed that the government secured a US$350 million (about Shs1.2 trillion) loan in 2021 to finance the construction of the expressway. MPs investigated whether taxpayers were receiving value for money, as the ministry revealed that approximately Shs129 billion has been collected in toll revenue since tolling commenced, while about Shs122 billion has already been paid to the contractor responsible for operating the tolling system.
Hon. James Waluswaka, representing Bunyole West County, questioned whether the government could justify the expenditure given the recurring operational deficiencies highlighted by auditors. The ministry explained that payments under the performance-based maintenance contract vary depending on whether contractors meet agreed Key Performance Indicators. Deductions have been imposed for failures, including non-functional street lighting, damaged guardrails, defective road signs, poor road cleanliness, and delayed implementation of the overload control system. Officials disclosed that approximately Shs55 million has consistently been deducted due to the incomplete overload control system.
The committee also questioned why Shs1.6 billion allocated for the installation of weigh-in-motion bridges had never been utilized. Isaac Wani, an engineer at the ministry, attributed the delay to unsuitable terrain near existing toll plazas, noting that the funds had 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. He emphasized that axle-load enforcement is essential for protecting the structural integrity and lifespan of the expressway and questioned why such a critical component had been deferred.
Additionally, the committee demanded accountability over vehicles exempted from paying toll charges and probed whether such exemptions complied with the law without supporting statutory instruments. Concerns were raised that discretionary exemptions without proper legal backing could undermine transparency. Transactions through the Automated Payment Collection Unit account, established to temporarily receive electronic toll payments before remittance to the Consolidated Fund, were also scrutinized.
The ministry's Undersecretary, Barbara Namugambe, requested additional time to reconcile the records, stating, "I need more time to compile and submit all the factual reports required by this committee." Deputy Chairperson of the committee and MP Ayivu Division East, Hon. William Tiyo, questioned the ministry's decision to spend over Shs200m for training in India despite the supervising contractor being a French company and demanded evidence that the training had improved the management of the toll road. The committee directed the ministry to submit a comprehensive report detailing beneficiaries, training modules, expenditure, and measurable outcomes before Wednesday, 12 August 2026.