PM Nabbanja calls for accountability in public procurement

By Leticia Kahubire

KAMPALA

The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has called for stronger leadership, accountability and effective oversight in public procurement.

In a keynote address delivered on her behalf by the 2nd Deputy Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, at the 10th International Public Procurement Conference held at Hotel Africana on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said public procurement is a strategic tool for economic transformation, effective governance and improved public service delivery.

“Public procurement is far more than an administrative process. Globally, I am informed that public procurement contributes 10–30 per cent of national Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In Uganda, public procurement expenditure exceeds 50 per cent of the annual budget,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja said.

She noted that across countries, the way governments procure goods and services determines not only how public resources are spent but also the quality of infrastructure, healthcare, education and other essential services delivered to citizens.

“Ultimately, public procurement must convert public expenditure into tangible public value,” the Prime Minister added. “We must strengthen integrity and accountability, accelerate secure and responsible digital transformation, promote fair competition and inclusive economic participation, integrate sustainability into procurement decisions, and measure success by actual results and value for money.”

She further emphasised that public procurement should be leveraged not only to develop domestic value chains but also to prepare local enterprises to participate and compete sustainably in global value chains.

“No country has a monopoly on effective procurement, and no country can afford to ignore the lessons emerging from others,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja said. “We must learn from successful reforms, confront persistent weaknesses and adapt proven innovations to different legal, economic and institutional contexts.”

The Prime Minister urged procurement professionals to embrace digital technologies to enhance transparency and efficiency in public procurement while strengthening cybersecurity and data protection.