Rising fuel costs threaten to disrupt road construction and maintenance across Uganda, with Mityana District warning that petroleum price increases could force it to abandon planned infrastructure projects. Mityana District Chairperson Joseph Luzige said the rising cost of petroleum products had placed additional pressure on the district budget, which was prepared based on lower fuel prices. He warned that increased operational costs could force the district to implement fewer road projects than initially planned because available resources may no longer be sufficient to finance all activities.
Luzige illustrated the scale of the challenge by outlining how budget constraints could require cuts to planned work. He said if the district had planned to work on ten roads, rising fuel prices and inflation might force it to reduce the number to about six because the available budget cannot cover all the planned activities. He explained that road construction and maintenance require substantial fuel, particularly to operate road equipment and transport construction materials, making fluctuations in petroleum prices a significant challenge for local governments.
The financial pressure extends beyond roads. Luzige added that the increased costs could also affect the timely delivery of other essential services if additional resources are not secured. Mityana Woman Member of Parliament Judith Nabakooba expressed similar concerns, saying the challenge required coordinated efforts between district leaders and the central government.
Despite the financial constraints, both leaders said they would engage the Ministry of Works and Transport to explore solutions. They emphasised the importance of collaboration between local governments and the ministry in sustaining road infrastructure development despite increasing economic pressures. For businesses and households in Mityana, the delay or reduction in road projects could slow economic activity and increase transport costs by limiting access to markets and services.