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It was sold as a shining solution to Uganda’s water crisis — 687 solar-powered irrigation and water supply systems meant to transform farming, boost incomes and bring clean water closer to communities. The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) is the lead government agency, overseeing the project primarily financed by UK Export Finance. Nexus Green Ltd (UK) is the contracted company responsible for the design, supply, manufacture, installation, and overall implementation of the solar water systems.
The project was anticipated to be completed by 2024, but the Auditor General’s latest report paints a disturbing picture of confusion, waste, weak supervision and shocking oversight failures at the Ministry of Water and Environment.
The Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Services Department at Ministry of water headed by Commissioner Eng. John Vianne Twinomujuni and Directorate of Water Development (DWD) overseas the project which received a staggering UGX 161.15 billion by the end of FY 2023/2024 to roll out 252 irrigation schemes and 435 water supply systems across the country.
The results? A trickle.
By the June 2024 deadline, only 122 out of 687 schemes — just 18% — had been completed.
That means more than 80% of the promised systems were nowhere near ready, despite billions already spent.
FEASIBILITY FIASCO
The rot begins at the planning stage.
Out of 1,009 sites handed to the contractor (Nexus Green Ltd), 162 sites (16%) failed at feasibility stage — meaning they should never have been selected in the first place. Poor water sources. Land conflicts. Basic issues that proper groundwork should have detected.
The result? An extra Euro 320,344.98 was spent conducting fresh feasibility studies after abandoning the failed sites.
Then came the design blunder.
A further 58 schemes (21 irrigation and 37 water supplies) collapsed at the design stage — wasting another Euro 208,530 on plans that were never implemented.
How do you design before confirming feasibility? The Auditor General questioned why detailed designs were initiated before feasibility validation — a basic project management principle.
PROJECTS SCRAPPED, SCOPE SLASHED
The Ministry planners finally admitted failure and decided to remove 141 planned schemes (21%) from the original scope.
Of the 257 schemes that were eventually set for construction, only 122 were substantially completed — and shockingly, only 22 of those (18%) had been commissioned for actual use. In simple terms: projects were built but not handed over. Infrastructure was installed but not operationalised. Ugandans were promised water and irrigation. Instead, they got idle panels baking in the sun.
LAND WARS AND WITHDRAWALS
Seventeen approved schemes failed during construction — 15 of them because landowners withdrew consent. Why? According to the report, beneficiaries were inadequately sensitised about land requirements. The financial loss from these construction failures stands at Euro 61,120.82. How does a government ministry embark on multimillion projects without securing firm land agreements?
NON-FUNCTIONAL, UNUSED, VANDALISED
In one damning inspection of 43 constructed schemes, 14 were completely non-functional and 16 were functional but not being used.
In some areas, farmers were waiting for seedlings — yet the project never included seedling distribution in its scope. Elsewhere, vandalism had already set in due to neglect and lack of security. Solar panels, pumps and equipment — abandoned.
NO MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES, NO MAINTENANCE MONEY
The Ministry of Water did not appoint or approve rural water committees to manage systems or collect user fees. Worse still, no funding was allocated for operations and maintenance. So even where infrastructure exists, sustainability is hanging by a thread. In urban areas, only 8 out of 22 substantially completed sites (36%) were handed over to umbrella institutions. Projects are being built — but no one is clearly responsible for running them.
WEAK OVERSIGHT AT THE TOP?
While the report diplomatically lists “commendable progress,” insiders say the deeper problem lies in weak leadership and lack of firm oversight.
Permanent Secretary Dr. Alfred Okot Okidi, the accounting officer of the Ministry, is quietly facing criticism from within.
Sources allege that prolonged absences and delegated supervision have created a vacuum at the top. Key responsibilities have reportedly been handled by Eng. John Mary Vianne Twinomujuni, Commissioner for Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Services — a technocrat critics argue may not have the breadth of experience to oversee complex nationwide irrigation systems.
Observers question whether the Ministry’s top leadership exercised adequate scrutiny over feasibility approvals, costing accuracy, supervision of consultants and contractor performance.
With hundreds of billions at stake and rural livelihoods on the line, critics say the buck must stop somewhere.
SO WHO PAYS THE PRICE?
Uganda’s economy remains heavily rain-dependent. The solar irrigation project was meant to cushion farmers from climate shocks and inconsistent rainfall.
Instead, the country is left with failed feasibility studies, designs paid for but never used, sites abandoned over land disputes, completed systems not operational, no maintenance funding and weak monitoring mechanisms.
The Auditor General has laid out clear recommendations — from proper pre-feasibility studies and market assessments to stronger supervision, decentralised management, and sustainability frameworks.
But recommendations alone do not fix broken systems.
As taxpayers watch billion losses pile up and communities wait for water that never flows, the pressing question grows louder:
Is the Ministry of Water and Environment capable of supervising complex national projects — or does it need urgent leadership reform at the very top?
For now, the sun is shining on Uganda’s solar water dream.
But beneath the panels, the system is leaking.
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