The new Minister of State for Finance (General Duties), Hon. Cissy Mulondo, has pledged her support to reforms aimed at making Uganda’s public procurement system faster, more transparent, accountable and responsive to the country’s development priorities.
The Minister made the commitment during her maiden engagement with the Board and Management of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Headquarters in Kampala. The PPDA delegation was led by Board Chairperson Mr. Julius K. Ishungisa and Executive Director Canon Benson Turamye. The engagement provided an opportunity for the Authority to formally introduce its leadership to the Minister and brief her on PPDA’s mandate, achievements, ongoing reforms and strategic priorities.
Briefing the Minister, Canon Turamye highlighted the significant role public procurement plays in Uganda’s economy and Government service delivery. He noted that approximately 65 percent of the national budget is spent through public procurement, while the function accounts for an estimated 18 percent of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Executive Director said the scale of public procurement places the function at the centre of Government’s efforts to accelerate economic growth and improve service delivery.
He explained that PPDA was consequently evolving beyond a predominantly compliance-focused regulator to increasingly position public procurement as an instrument for economic transformation, job creation, local industrial development and value for money. Among the interventions highlighted were the promotion of local content in Government contracts, reservation of procurement opportunities for youth, women and persons with disabilities, graduate trainee opportunities under major works contracts, and initiatives to standardise the costs of commonly procured Government goods and infrastructure.
Canon Turamye also highlighted contract implementation as an area requiring greater attention, citing challenges including poor contractor performance, project delays and contract price variations.
PPDA Board Member and representative of the Ministry of Finance on the Board, Dr. Isaac Kyaligonza, briefed the Minister on ongoing reforms to Uganda’s public procurement legal and regulatory framework. He explained that although the procurement law was amended in 2021, Cabinet subsequently observed that gaps remained which contributed to inefficiencies in the system.
The ongoing reform process therefore seeks to establish a procurement system that is leaner, faster, more efficient and better able to address corruption risks. Dr. Kyaligonza said the reforms were being guided by three fundamental questions: Can procurement be made faster? Can procurement be used to achieve quality? Can procurement be used to create jobs?
He also highlighted the ongoing rollout of the enhanced Electronic Government Procurement system (eGP 2.0), which is intended to digitise the entire procurement cycle and improve transparency, accountability, bidder participation and value for money. Government intends to progressively onboard more entities onto the enhanced system, with the ultimate objective of having all Government entities conducting their procurement and disposal processes electronically by 2029.
Welcoming the delegation, Hon. Mulondo commended the PPDA Board, Management and staff for the progress registered in strengthening Uganda’s public procurement system. She underscored the importance of procurement to Government’s fiscal and development agenda, noting that every shilling saved through efficient and transparent procurement creates additional resources that can be invested in schools, hospitals, roads and other critical public services.
“When you do your work well, Uganda wins. When procurement fails, service delivery fails,” the Minister said.
Hon. Mulondo described PPDA as an important gatekeeper for value for money, noting that procurement is where Government’s commitment to fiscal responsibility is tested through ensuring that public resources purchase the right quality, at the right price and at the right time.
She said she would relate with PPDA not only as a supervisor, but also as a partner and supporter, and assured the Board and Management that she would respect the Authority’s regulatory independence and would not interfere with its regulatory decisions, audits or investigations.
“I will not interfere in your regulatory decisions, in your audits or in your investigations. I will protect your independence,” she said.
In return, the Minister said she expected the Authority to demonstrate accountability for results, fairness and integrity. She also committed to championing PPDA’s reform and digitisation agenda before Cabinet and Parliament, including supporting the Authority where resources, legal amendments and enforcement support were required.
The Minister particularly welcomed the ongoing transition to electronic procurement, noting that digitisation would support Government’s wider efforts to strengthen transparency and fight corruption.
Hon. Mulondo challenged PPDA and the wider public procurement fraternity to strike an appropriate balance between compliance and the speed required to implement Government programmes. She expressed concern about unnecessary procurement delays, particularly in instances where resources were available but delivery of Government programmes was held back by prolonged processes.
“Procurement must not be a bottleneck to development. It must be an enabler,” Hon. Mulondo emphasised.
She noted that Uganda was entering a critical phase of national transformation, characterised by major investments in areas including oil and gas, infrastructure and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which require an efficient procurement system to translate Government resources into tangible results for citizens. The Minister also supported the use of public procurement to promote local content and Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU), while cautioning that efforts to support domestic production should not compromise quality.
Hon. Mulondo identified integrity as one of the most critical issues facing public procurement and called for zero tolerance to inflated contracts, collusion, kickbacks and deliberate delays. She reminded procurement stakeholders that losses arising from corruption ultimately translate into medicines not purchased, classrooms not equipped, roads not delivered and other essential services denied to citizens.
The Minister also challenged PPDA to lead by example as the regulator responsible for monitoring and auditing other Government entities. “Our own house must be clean before we clean other houses,” she said, calling upon the Authority to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability internally if it is to effectively demand the same standards from the entities it regulates.
As she commenced her supervisory relationship with the Authority, Hon. Mulondo made three commitments to PPDA: to listen and engage with the Authority; support its budget and staff welfare; and defend its institutional independence.
In return, she outlined three expectations from PPDA: integrity in its dealings, speed with compliance, and citizen-centric service delivery. The Minister said Ugandans should be able to feel the impact of PPDA’s work through a procurement system that makes it easier and more efficient for citizens and businesses to interact with Government.
She assured the Board and Management that her office would remain open and encouraged the Authority’s leadership to engage her regularly, frankly and constructively.
PPDA Board Chairperson Mr. Julius K. Ishungisa welcomed the Minister’s commitment and reaffirmed the Board’s determination to provide the strategic oversight required to enable the Authority to effectively execute its mandate.
The maiden engagement marked the beginning of a strengthened working relationship between PPDA and the Minister’s Office as the Authority continues pursuing reforms aimed at making public procurement faster, transparent, accountable and an effective driver of Uganda’s national development and service delivery.
