UNRA to cease after Museveni signs Repeal Bill

The Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) will cease to exist, once President Museveni signs into law the new legislation that was passed by Parliament on November 6.

Few minutes after passing the controversial Coffee Bill, the 305 legislators who remained in the House after their counterparts opposed to abolition of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority stormed out, also passed other Bills including the Uganda National Roads Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2024.

This Act dissolved Unra and transferred its functions to the Ministry of Works and Transport .

Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala told Parliament prior to passing of the Act that repealing UNRA will enable the mainstreaming and rationalisation of its functions into his ministry thereby relieving the government of the financial drain on its resources and the burden of wasteful administration and expenditure.

His ministry, he added, will continue performing UNRA's functions at a less cost, like the way it was before Unra was formed in 2006.

“We are not going to create unemployment, we are going to validate all workers of UNRA and those willing to work under the public service arrangement are welcome,” he said

In its report, the Physical Infrastructure Committee led by its chairperson, Mr Dan Kimosho, recommended the mainstreaming of Unra but tasked the ministry to ensure minimal disruption to ongoing projects; thorough contract reviews to identify restrictive clauses, engaging stakeholders [contractors, financiers) to renegotiate or novate contracts and develop contingency plans to mitigate potential project suspension or penalties.

“The Committee supports the government's decision to rationalise the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) and merge its functions with the Ministry of Works and Transport. However, considering Unra's substantial portfolio of Shs9 trillion including loans binding the agency as implementing partner, the Committee recommends a transitional management period of three years to ensure a seamless handover. This phased approach will enable the ministry to absorb Unra's responsibilities, mitigate potential disruptions, and guarantee uninterrupted road development and maintenance,” he said.

The Committee also recommended the government to strengthen the technical capacity of all technical staff within the Ministry to take on highly complex projects as opposed to outsourcing services from other agencies.

Mr Kimosho said: “The Committee recommends that Unra staff be given new terms under Ministry of Works and Transport to relieve government of financial drain on resources through wasteful administrative expenditure.”

Parliament also passed the Uganda Road Fund Bill, which sought to dissolve the Uganda Road Fund and revert its functions to the Ministry of Works and Transport.