Uganda's President Museveni dismisses six officials for inflating costs of AFCON 2027 road projects and Entebbe Airport contracts
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni dismissed six engineers and officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) on July 21 for what he called 'massive corruption,' including alleged attempts to more than double the cost of roads being built for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and inflate contracts at Entebbe International Airport
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Summary
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni dismissed six engineers and officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) on July 21, citing what he called "massive corruption" in two domains: road construction contracts for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and procurement at Entebbe International Airport. In a strongly worded letter, Museveni said "thieves" had attempted to more than double the cost of AFCON infrastructure roads. Works Minister Fred Byamukama disclosed the dismissals to Parliament's Committee on Physical Infrastructure, where the news caused visible tension among committee members. Ugandan investigative outlet Nile Post exclusively identified the six dismissed individuals, linking the firings to specific procurement chains in the ministry and UCAA. The dismissals are the latest in a series of anti-corruption actions by Museveni targeting infrastructure ministries.
The split
Ugandan outlets (Nile Post, AllAfrica, Chimp Reports) drove all substantive coverage, offering complementary angles, the parliamentary reaction, the identity of the dismissed officials, Museveni's letter, and the AFCON road-cost allegation. No international or regional African outlets had filed coverage at time of writing. AFCON 2027 co-host status (Uganda alongside Kenya and Tanzania) gave the story a continental dimension largely absent from available reporting.
By the numbers
- 6, senior officials dismissed across Works Ministry and UCAA
- 2x+, alleged attempted cost inflation on AFCON road projects
- 2027, year Uganda co-hosts the Africa Cup of Nations with Kenya and Tanzania
- 152, UCAA staff Museveni reportedly ordered to be replaced (per Daily Monitor URL)
Why it matters
Uganda is co-hosting Africa's biggest football tournament in 2027, and infrastructure delays or cost overruns in road and airport construction would affect not just the tournament's viability but the country's international standing. The dismissals signal that Museveni is willing to act against senior ministry officials, but they also reveal that procurement corruption in infrastructure was advanced enough to require presidential intervention. Whether the firings lead to criminal prosecution or simply reassignment will indicate how seriously the government treats the accountability side of the purge.
What to watch
- Whether criminal charges follow the dismissals or the cases are handled administratively
- The identities of replacement officials and whether they come from outside the ministry system
- Impact on AFCON 2027 road construction timelines in Uganda
- Uganda's UCAA response to the Entebbe airport contract allegations and any service disruptions