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Contesting the imagined futures of infrastructure projects in Uganda

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Titel: Contesting the imagined futures of infrastructure projects in Uganda
Autoren: Abdou Rahim Lema, Joel Odota
Quelle: Cogent Social Sciences, Vol 11, Iss 1 (2025)
Verlagsinformationen: Taylor & Francis Group, 2025.
Publikationsjahr: 2025
Bestand: LCC:Social Sciences
Schlagwörter: China-Uganda relations, conflict, imagined futures, infrastructure projects, state capacity, African Studies, Social Sciences
Beschreibung: This paper critically examines the impacts of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Uganda, focusing on the tensions and conflicts surrounding their development. It highlights how the anticipated benefits of these projects are often contested and met with collective resistance. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks of state capacity and contentious politics, we analyze two key examples of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Uganda: the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway (KEE) and the Entebbe International Airport Expansion Project. Our central argument is that Uganda’s weak state capacity facilitates poorly planned and executed projects, leading to their failure to meet expectations. Discontent arises from the gap between the promised futures of these infrastructure projects and the disappointing realities they have produced. This disconnect can be attributed to systemic issues stemming from the state’s inability to effectively govern and manage the projects. The consequences of Uganda’s weak state capacity include widespread corruption, a lack of transparency and accountability, disregard for human rights, inadequate risk assessment, and poor adherence to regulations. Furthermore, limited community engagement and the failure to address local concerns have compounded the socio-political challenges facing the country. These issues are reflected in the growing public disillusionment, as evidenced by the recurring protests against the government.
Publikationsart: article
Dateibeschreibung: electronic resource
Sprache: English
ISSN: 2331-1886
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/2331-1886
DOI: 10.1080/23311886.2025.2551872
Zugangs-URL: https://doaj.org/article/c1017b64eea84731ab6376b8d4f7c609
Dokumentencode: edsdoj.1017b64eea84731ab6376b8d4f7c609
Datenbank: Directory of Open Access Journals
Beschreibung
Abstract:This paper critically examines the impacts of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Uganda, focusing on the tensions and conflicts surrounding their development. It highlights how the anticipated benefits of these projects are often contested and met with collective resistance. Drawing on interdisciplinary frameworks of state capacity and contentious politics, we analyze two key examples of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects in Uganda: the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway (KEE) and the Entebbe International Airport Expansion Project. Our central argument is that Uganda’s weak state capacity facilitates poorly planned and executed projects, leading to their failure to meet expectations. Discontent arises from the gap between the promised futures of these infrastructure projects and the disappointing realities they have produced. This disconnect can be attributed to systemic issues stemming from the state’s inability to effectively govern and manage the projects. The consequences of Uganda’s weak state capacity include widespread corruption, a lack of transparency and accountability, disregard for human rights, inadequate risk assessment, and poor adherence to regulations. Furthermore, limited community engagement and the failure to address local concerns have compounded the socio-political challenges facing the country. These issues are reflected in the growing public disillusionment, as evidenced by the recurring protests against the government.
ISSN:23311886
DOI:10.1080/23311886.2025.2551872