Uganda’s Parliament is set to convene next Monday, October 20th, 2025, with a packed agenda that includes the crucial consideration of five loan requests totaling a staggering UGX 8.287 trillion. These substantial funds are earmarked for critical road construction projects and energy infrastructure development across the nation.
According to the official Order Paper released by Parliament today, the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development will present these borrowing proposals for parliamentary approval. The loans are primarily sourced from international financial institutions including the World Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, and Citi Bank.
Among the key proposals, the Ministry of Finance seeks to borrow up to €230,454,687.23 from Citi Bank. This facility is intended to finance the “design and build” of the vital Jinja-Mbulamuti-Kamuli-Bukungu Road, spanning 127 kilometers, and an additional 10 kilometers of roads within Jinja City.
Furthermore, a significant portion of the funds, up to €115,876,831 from Standard Chartered Bank, is allocated to the “critical oil roads” package, specifically Package 6B. This includes the design and build for the upgrading of the Karugutu-Ntoroko Road (56.5 km), a crucial link to Rwebisengo (8.2 km), and 3.3 kilometers of town roads in Ntoroko district, totaling approximately 68 kilometers.
In addition to road infrastructure, Parliament will also consider a loan of up to €342,592,806.25 from Standard Chartered Bank. This significant sum is designated for the construction of the 400kV Karuma-Tororo Double Circuit Transmission Line and associated substations, as well as the 132/33kV Ntinda Substation Project. This investment highlights the government’s commitment to bolstering the national power grid and ensuring reliable electricity supply.
The Ministry is also looking to secure a loan of up to €192,959,605.47 from Citi Bank to finance Phase I of the “Enhancing Agricultural Production, Quality and Standards for Market Access Project.” This initiative aims to boost the agricultural sector, a cornerstone of Uganda’s economy.
The impending parliamentary session follows a proactive move last week by the Parliament’s Committee on National Economy. Under the chairmanship of Bosco Ikojo, the committee held a meeting to consider several loan proposals after receiving a directive from Speaker Anita Among.
“I received a communication from the office of the Speaker that Cabinet had considered a number of loan proposals and were referred to Parliament,” explained Mr. Ikojo.
“But now that Parliament is still on recess, she administratively decided to write to the chairperson of the committee for us to consider this loan request pending resumption of the House. We shall have to present to them. That is why I had to request the Minister of Finance to appear before this committee to make sure that at least we officially receive all these loans and then we move on to scrutinize them, pending the resumption of the House and honour reporting by the committee.”
The upcoming plenary sitting is expected to see rigorous debate and scrutiny of these substantial loan requests as Parliament deliberates on their necessity and impact on the nation’s debt profile and future development. The projects funded by these loans are anticipated to have a transformative effect on Uganda’s infrastructure, connectivity, and economic potential.
