Minister of State for Works and Transport Fred Byamukama has ordered the arrest of two ministry officials over alleged collusion and manipulation of compensation valuations for people affected by the Nateete-Nakawuka road project.
The two officials, identified as ministry valuer Isaac Akampa and surveyor Elijah Sekitto, were arrested during the minister’s inspection of the ongoing road works and taken to Mpigi Police Station.
Byamukama accused the officials of being part of a network allegedly inflating land and property valuations, a practice he said was driving up the cost of the project and delaying construction.
The minister said he would order further arrests if more officials were found to have participated in the alleged scheme.
He cited areas including Membe and Lufuka in Mpigi, where the proposed Kisubi-Nakawuka-Nateete-Kasanje-Mpigi road passes, saying new structures had been erected on sections awaiting compensation.
According to Byamukama, the government has estimated compensation for affected persons along the 72-kilometre Nateete-Nakawuka road at about Shs430 billion, compared with an estimated Shs340.5 billion construction cost.
“I have just arrested two of our staff from the land acquisition department, and I will arrest more before I leave because they have become part of the mafia system,” Byamukama said.
He questioned the wide differences in land valuations, citing a case where a local leader reportedly put the price of an acre in Lufuka at about Shs35 million, while ministry officials allegedly valued similar land at as much as Shs2 billion per acre.
Byamukama said such discrepancies were unacceptable and could expose the government to massive financial losses.
The minister further alleged that some individuals were buying land from residents at low prices before rapidly developing the properties in ways intended to increase their compensation claims.
He claimed some buildings were being put up at high speed, with only the front sections completed, while other parts were left unfinished, allegedly to influence valuation.
Byamukama also raised concerns over claims involving graves, alleging that some people had created structures resembling graves on their land to attract higher compensation.
“This is now a battle between me and these mafias, and we shall see who will win this war,” he said.
Residents who met the minister during the inspection also complained about the slow progress of the road project. They cited alleged fuel theft among the factors affecting construction, while businesses along the road raised concerns about excessive dust generated by the ongoing works.
The Nateete-Nakawuka road project was launched in 2024 and forms part of a wider road network connecting Kisubi, Nakawuka, Nateete, Kasanje, Mpigi, Maya and Entebbe-Nakiwogo.
A key component is the 27-kilometre Kisubi-Nakawuka-Nateete link, while the wider project covers approximately 72 kilometres.
The project was awarded at a contract cost of Shs340.5 billion and was scheduled for completion within three years, targeting late 2026.
However, progress has been affected by delays in land acquisition and compensation of project-affected persons, alongside other challenges encountered during implementation.
The latest arrests are expected to intensify scrutiny of the land acquisition and compensation process as the government seeks to accelerate construction and contain the escalating project costs.
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