Is the UPDF biting off more than it can chew?

The army’s handling of construction projects across the country has been called into question, with allegations of substandard work and stalled progress dominating the bill.
Although Brig Felix Kulayigye—the army spokesperson—assured this publication in an interview that the military will deliver on all the projects allocated to it, the evidence on some key projects suggests otherwise. 
The ability of the army to deliver on some of the major projects has also been queried by lawmakers.
The leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr Mathias Mpuuga, who is on oversight tours across the country, cited the projects in Mpigi and Butambala, which he says are behind schedule.
 In an interview with this publication, Mr Mpuuga cited lack of respect for the terms of the contract on the projects and explained that the local governments cannot supervise the army “since the contracts are awarded from above.”
“Value for money can’t be ascertained where projects are late and supervision is very limited.  Local governments have been disempowered further in developing contracting capacity. Local companies have been left out of these local government jobs yet they constituted their biggest form of projects,” Mr Mpuuga says.
Per the presidential directive, the army has been entrusted with the responsibility of undertaking construction projects primarily in the health and education sectors. Mr Mpuuga believes that this allocation of projects to the army signifies a broader trend of militarisation across all sectors of the government.  
The army’s influence extends across most government ministries, departments, and agencies. Army officers and other personnel are actively engaged in decision-making and the day-to-day functioning of these governmental bodies.
“Yes, we need a productive army, but if that’s your target you start by building capacity not doling out delicate contracts that have very urgent community projects,” the LoP told Sunday Monitor, adding, “As it turns out, some of the projects doled without competitive bidding are turning out very expensive… Namboole rehabilitation is the cost of a whole new bigger stadium.” 
In 2021, President Museveni directed that all new government school and hospital projects be handled by the UPDF Engineering Brigade. Since then, the army has been tasked with hundreds of projects, including works at the Mandela National Stadium in Namboole, and the Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC) factory in Entebbe.
In another directive, President Museveni ordered that the UPDF Engineering Brigade take on the work of extending the passenger terminal building at Entebbe International Airport. 
However, the work on the project has been queried by the House Committee on Physical Infrastructure. Legislators on the committee questioned the ability of the army engineering brigade to complete the modification of the passenger terminal building. 
Maj Gen Henry Matsiko, who heads the inspection team for monitoring and evaluation at the Defence ministry, downplayed the concerns of the legislators.
Presented with the recommendation from the latest House Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs report on the Uganda Security Printing Company (USPC) factory in Entebbe, Brig Kulayigye did not respond to this specific request.
In their report, the House committee notes, “The committee observed that the factory construction is still ongoing and behind schedule. In addition, the contractor (NEC-UPDF) has no experience constructing such a facility, which could lead to cost overruns.”
UPDF says
Citing nine projects due for handover to Isingiro District, however, Brig Kulayigye told this publication that the army has completed “almost all Ministry of Health projects.” 
He also cited works at Gombe Hospital, a level four health centre with a theatre and maternity ward in Kasanda as well as renovation works at Kawolo Hospital, among others.
“Namboole is on schedule despite delays in disbursement of funds by the client. Kololo SSS, we are ahead of schedule, Butaleja Health Centre IV was completed. We have 3,500 personnel across the country on 128 projects. No company had such a number. We have the required equipment and more are being acquired,” Brig Kulayigye said.
The army has, with some success, pulled off projects such as the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja and the Uganda Free Zones Authority warehouse in Entebbe. The army also upgraded the 4.2 km access road to paved bituminous standards at Entebbe Paediatric Hospital.
Brig Kulayigye asked this publication to refer to his earlier response on the issue of Namboole, in which he insists that the army saved the country a lot of money and is within the timeframe to deliver on the project.
Background 
In April, the President of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (Fufa), Mr Moses Hassim Magogo, threw a spanner in the works, slamming the works by the UPDF on Mandela National Stadium as below standard.
Mr Magogo, who is also a legislator, expressed the need for a competent contractor and supervisor to be appointed to take on the works at the facility. 
He stated: “The contractors (UPDF Engineering Brigade) and the supervisors (Ministry of Works) do not have the necessary experience and expertise to undertake stadium construction. 
"The government of Uganda should urgently cancel the contracts of the contractors and supervisors and immediately procure experienced service providers in stadium construction, even if it means obtaining them from outside Uganda. We are likely to have a delayed project, substandard work, and without value for money.”