KIBOGA. What appears to be an entrenched criminal network feeding off the multi-billion Kampala–Kiboga–Kyankwanzi–Hoima road construction project has come under fresh police scrutiny after an intelligence-led operation uncovered a cache of suspected siphoned fuel and stolen construction materials in Kiboga District.
The operation, carried out on June 17 in Lwamata Town Council – an area increasingly gaining notoriety as a hub for organised theft targeting road works , resulted in the arrest of one suspect and the recovery of exhibits that police say expose a wider underground trade thriving along the highway corridor.
By striking at the heart of what investigators describe as a well-coordinated supply chain of stolen diesel, iron bars and other construction materials, the operation lays bare the growing challenge authorities face in protecting public infrastructure projects from economic sabotage.
According to Lameck Kigozi , the Wamala Regional Police spokesperson the crackdown followed intelligence reports indicating that criminal gangs had intensified attacks on fuel tankers, construction trucks, heavy machinery and storage facilities servicing the road project.
“Lwamata and its surrounding areas have become operational zones for organised criminal syndicates that siphon fuel and steal materials meant for road construction. This does not only delay project completion but also causes substantial financial loss to government,” he said .
At the centre of the bust was Wilbur, Muyanja whom police described as a notorious suspect allegedly linked to the illicit trade.
Recovered during the operation were 20 jerry cans, each containing 20 litres of suspected diesel, a Tata Prima truck registration number UBL 030A found in the process of being siphoned, 47 iron bars, 27 empty jerry cans, six rubber siphoning tubes and hoses, two funnels and pumping accessories, as well as two mobile phones believed to have been instrumental in coordinating the operations.
Investigators say the theft network operates through a chain of informal buyers, with cement and iron bars reportedly finding their way into small hardware shops, siphoned fuel being resold to roadside petrol stations, and metallic road barriers ending up in scrap yards.
Whereas the immediate arrest may seem isolated, police believe it is only a fragment of a much larger criminal web embedded within communities along the road stretch.
The Kampala–Kiboga–Kyankwanzi–Hoima road, considered a critical transport artery for western Uganda and the oil-rich Albertine region, is expected to enhance trade and connectivity once completed. Yet, recurring thefts threaten to undermine both timelines and public investment.
Police have since warned that the crackdown will widen, with intelligence teams already tracking individuals suspected of facilitating or profiting from the illegal trade.