A 2024 CoST International report reveals that over 90% of bidders remain anonymous on the GPP, while contract amendments are rarely disclosed. Far from boosting confidence, this has become a gateway to corruption, costing Ugandans billions meant for schools, hospitals, and roads. This report was published by our trained journalists on reporting standards –New vision September 16, 2025 NV

CoST -The Transparency initiative organization conducted a study, which examined infrastructure procurement in four African countries between 2018 and 2024, found out that Uganda is plagued by non-competitive practices in public procurement:

1. Only 40% of contracts were openly bid.
2. 35% used restricted bidding, and 15% direct procurement.
3. One in four tenders attracted just a single bidder, locking out competition and inflating costs.
4. Bidder anonymity exceeding 90% 
5. Water projects: 55% restricted bidding, with frequent unexplained cost amendments.
6. Education contracts: often split into micro-lots to escape scrutiny, with 45% using restricted bidding.
7. Transport projects: 49% of spending, but international tenders frequently sideline local firms.

Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDA) requires transparency: bidder lists, evaluation scores, and contract details should be published. Yet, in practice, compliance was found weak. Bidder names are hidden, losing proposals are excluded, and contract amendments remain secret. Stakeholders blame both political interference and official manipulation, with 40% of respondents in a CoST survey pointing fingers at private companies complicit in the system.

This article CoST-The infrastructure Transparency Initiative report therefore urges urgent reforms: Mandating disclosure of all bidders, evaluations, and amendments in the OC4IDS format, Scrutinizing single-bid awards, especially high-value contracts, Conducting 12-month audits in high-risk sectors like water sector, Simplifying education tenders to curb contract splitting, Supporting SMEs with fairer rules and payment security.

“As a transparency movement, we call on PPDA Uganda and all responsible government bodies to end the shadows and embrace openness- lets stop corruption is a stolen future.”