Lands Minister Nabakooba Meets Delegation From World Bank Ahead Of The Implementation Of UCMID Project Accross The Country

By Our Reporter In Kampala

The Ministry of Lands ,Housing and Urban Development  has prepared and adopted an Operation Implementation Manual (OIM) in a manner and substance satisfactory to the World Bank, according to the Minister Of Lands , Ms. Judith Nabakooba.

Minister Nabakooba ,while meeting the a team officials from the World Bank who are on a mission in  Uganda to access the  UCMID readiness , explained that the OIM has been prepared together with the World Bank team and a final draft incorporating World Bank comments was submitted to the World Bank on 16th June 2026

“We expect this to be cleared for final print in a week’s time,” Nabakooba stated .

The Minister further told the World Bank officials that her ministry has prepared, adopted and disclosed the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) in a manner and substance satisfactory to the World Bank.

“The SEP was prepared with support from the World Bank team and was cleared on 9th June 2026. It was subsequently disclosed on the MLHUD website. This condition has therefore been met,” she added.

The high level meeting was attended by other Ugandan officials led by the ministry ‘s Under Secretary in Charge of Finance and Administration , dr. Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga .

Nabakooba reported that the  World Bank is satisfied that the government has an adequate refugee protection framework. “This framework exists and a copy is domiciled under the OPM and the UNHCR. This condition has therefore been met,” she stressed.

The meeting follows World Bank’s approval of significant funding packages for Uganda, including a $540 million (approx. Shs2.03 trillion) for the much awaited Uganda Cities and Municipalities infrastructure Development Program (UCMID) program and new financing exceeding $2 billion to support development, infrastructure, and refugee-hosting areas.

This anticipated  transformative program is expected to commence on August 1^st , 2026.

 This funding aims to boost urban development, infrastructure, and job creation.

The six-year, $540 million (Shs2.03 trillion)  project will facilitate the construction of modern infrastructure in at least  10 cities that will include Jinja, Mbarara, Gulu, Arua, Masaka, Hoima, Mbale, Soroti, Lira, Fort Portal.

The project will also cater for 26 municipalities, and 13 refugee-hosting districts.

Officials said over a five year period the development projects spread across the country will facilitated the creation of not less than 40,000 direct jobs out of which 20,000 will be permanent.

Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com