The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala, has cleared Ministry of Works and Transport Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa of wrongdoing in the Busega-Mpigi Expressway cost escalation scandal, but ordered the immediate interdiction of a senior engineer.
In a statement issued Friday, October 23, 2026, the IGG directed Waiswa to interdict Engineer Isaac Wani, the Commissioner for National Roads, to facilitate investigations into the rising costs of the expressway project.
The project, initially contracted at Shs547.5 billion, has seen its estimated construction costs rise to approximately Shs1.35 trillion following design changes and additional works.
According to the IGG, investigations established that Waiswa was not involved in the decisions that led to the cost increases.
The project was transferred from the now-defunct Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to the Ministry of Works and Transport in 2024 under the government’s rationalisation programme.
“It was further established that Mr. Bageya initiated technical audits, funding approval and procurement processes aimed at getting the project back on track after the transfer of the project to the MoWT,” the IGG said.
“Therefore, the IGG has cleared Mr. Bageya of any wrongdoing.”
The findings were communicated to the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, clearing Waiswa to resume work.
However, investigators established that Wani served as UNRA’s Director of Network Planning and Engineering during the period when the project’s construction costs escalated.
“The IGG has directed the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the MoWT to immediately interdict Eng. Isaac Wani, the Commissioner National Roads, to pave the way for investigations into his alleged involvement in the escalation of the costs of the same project,” the statement reads.
Waiswa was also directed to appoint an interim replacement to ensure continuity of operations.
The IGG said the interdiction was necessary to prevent interference with ongoing investigations, citing Article 230(2) of the Constitution and Section 13(6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act.
The directive does not constitute a finding of wrongdoing against Wani.
The development follows earlier investigations into the expressway, which led to the suspension of engineers Edwin Raymond Kiyaga and Dickens Ahimbisibwe over allegations of embezzlement of project funds.
The Auditor General previously faulted UNRA for awarding the construction contract without adequate detailed designs, contributing to costly revisions and delays.
By May 2024, the original contract funds had been exhausted despite construction progress standing at approximately 41 percent.
Parliament subsequently approved additional financing of about Shs898.5 billion in October 2025 to support completion of the project.
The 23.7-kilometre expressway is intended to ease congestion along the Kampala-Masaka highway and improve transport connectivity to western Uganda and neighbouring countries.
The latest IGG findings shift attention to the decisions made under UNRA’s former management as investigators seek to establish responsibility for the project’s substantial cost increases.
