The Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) is facing tough questions from Parliament over the expenditure of billions of shillings on staff training, with lawmakers demanding a detailed explanation of how the funds were utilized and what impact the programme has created.The Physical Infrastructure Committee has given URC officials seven days to submit a comprehensive breakdown of the money spent on capacity building, including the number of employees trained, the institutions involved, the duration of the programmes, and the skills gained from the training.
The matter came up during a committee meeting chaired by Mwine Mpaka on July 23, 2026, after MPs questioned URC’s borrowing arrangements under the Kampala-Malaba railway project. Lawmakers sought clarity on funds allocated for railway development and additional resources reportedly set aside for strengthening the corporation’s workforce.Mwine expressed concern over the decision to spend billions on training while critical railway challenges, especially safety issues around railway crossings, continue to affect communities.
He questioned whether the investment in capacity building was aligned with URC’s most urgent operational needs.URC officials told the committee that millions of euros were spent on training through a project consultant who designed and implemented the programme. However, MPs were dissatisfied with the explanations, demanding evidence showing how the funds were allocated and how many staff members benefited from the initiative.The accountability process was further complicated after URC officials provided varying figures regarding the actual cost of the training. While one official cited about Euro8 million, Managing Director Benon Kajuna later indicated that the expenditure was closer to Euro4.8 million, prompting lawmakers to demand clarification over the conflicting information.Ayivu East MP William Tiyo warned that government training programmes are among areas where public funds can easily be mismanaged if proper oversight is lacking.
He urged URC leadership to ensure that training initiatives are based on genuine needs and produce measurable improvements within the corporation.URC explained that the programme focused on areas such as railway infrastructure management, maintenance, operations, customer service, and business administration. Officials said the training involved practical sessions conducted by consultants across various departments rather than academic programmes at universities.
Despite the explanations, MPs questioned how the training needs were identified and whether URC employees were trained in areas that directly addressed existing gaps. The committee has now ordered the corporation to present a detailed report to establish whether the billions spent delivered value to taxpayers or whether further investigations will be necessary.
