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  • About us
    • Who we are
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Press releases

Home / Press releases

Our Report on Procurement Practices Highlights Transparency Gaps and Measures for Improved Transparency_ New Vision 16, 2025

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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.”  
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Speech from Hon. Edward Katumba Wamala MoWT During 6th Independent Review Report Launch on 17/7/2025

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Govt Halts 27 Major Road Projects Over Shs 2T Shortage

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Shift Media: Government of Uganda to Convene a Meeting on Road Maintenance Crisis

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NewVision: CoST Ugandas’ Independent Review Report 2025 Discovers Accountability Gaps in Ministry of Local Government Road Projects

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KCCA names 68 Flood Hotspots in Kampala

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CoST Uganda Press Statement on 2nd ITI Report 25th July 2024

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Minister-of-Works-and-Transport-26th-July-2017-CoST-event

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Facts-about-Busoga-College-Mwiri-Access-Road

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CoST-Uganda-in-the-MoWT-Sector-Handbook-2019_2020

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Minister-of-Works-and-Transport-26th-July-2017-CoST-event

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The CoST Uganda Infrastructure Transparency Journalist Awards process 2020.

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Key note address by the Minister of Works and Transport_3rd Assurance Publication event 22nd Jan 2020_Kampala

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UNRA, Energy Accused of hiding information _Article by Henry Sekanjako, Senior Reporter, New Vision 10th Feb 2020

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Transparency report faults UNRA, Energy _Article by Henry Sekanjako, Senior Reporter, New Vision published 10th Feb 2020

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CoST Uganda calls for Infrastructure Transparency during COVID19_Press Statement_f

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Press Release_4th Assurance Results_10th Feb 2021_Final

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Fair_Business_Practices_GPP_Infrastructure Data analysis Report_June 2020 _Press

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High Level Meeting_Infrastructure Transparency Outcome statement _10th February 2021.docx

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Shs 164B wetland project stalls _MWE _4th Assurance Process by Henry Sekanjako New Vision 20th April 2021 pages 25_26

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CoST Uganda

Statement on the 1st Infrastructure Transparency Index in Uganda

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Private Sector study Report _Final_November_ 2021

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Private Sector study Report _Summary_November_ 2021

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CoST Uganda Business Plan _2021_2026 Strengthening the economy & improving lives in Uganda

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Outcome Statement from the engagement on the Inaugural Infrastructure Transparency Index

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CoST Uganda Media Links 2021_pdf final

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New Vision 19th January Why local content is growing slowly pages 21 to 22

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Terms of Reference for data analytics and engaging on improving dislcosure consultancy

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Advert for Programme Officer

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PRESS-STATEMENT-FOR-THE-2ND-INDEX-F

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