The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has partnered with the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) to expand citizen monitoring of government contracts and projects across Uganda.
Public procurement accounts for roughly 65% of national spending in Uganda and about one-third of government spending globally.
Because public procurement accounts for approximately 60% of Uganda’s national budget, it remains one of the highest-risk areas for financial leakages. This specific procurement loss is a major component of the broader UGX 9.1 trillion to UGX 10 trillion that the country loses to overall corruption each year, according to empirical studies by the [Inspectorate of Government.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed at the conclusion of a three-day training on the Contract Monitoring System (CMS), bringing together representatives from 15 civil society organisations from the Central, Eastern, Northern and Western regions.
The partnership is intended to enable civil society organisations and communities to identify implementation problems in government projects, improve reporting and strengthen accountability for public funds after contracts have been awarded.
PPDA Executive Director Canon Benson Turamye said the authority cannot monitor every government project on its own, making civil society participation important in extending its oversight reach.
“We cannot be everywhere, and that is why collaboration with Civil Society Organizations is critical,” Turamye said.
Under the agreement, CSOs will use the Contract Monitoring System to document and report developments on government projects, providing PPDA with information from communities and project sites.
The organisations were trained on the public procurement cycle, procurement principles and use of the CMS. The training also covered monitoring of environmental, health, safety, gender and social inclusion safeguards in government projects.
CSBAG Executive Director Julius Mukunda welcomed the partnership and committed the organisation to professional and reliable monitoring of government projects.
PPDA said the initiative is intended to strengthen transparency, accountability and value for money in public expenditure by ensuring that oversight continues beyond the award of government contracts.
The authority emphasised that public procurement should not end with contract award, but should also result in projects being properly implemented, public resources being responsibly used and citizens receiving the services and infrastructure promised through government investment.
Key Reasons for the Partnership
The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) cannot monitor every project across Uganda alone, so working with civil society provides extra eyes and ears on the ground.
The partnership gives the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) access to a digital Contract Monitoring System (CMS) to report project delays or issues instantly. [1,
Joint oversight helps prevent abandoned projects, late deliveries, and contractors getting paid for uncompleted work.
The collaboration tracks public money from the initial budget allocation all the way to final service delivery for taxpayers.
