Whistleblower alerts Museveni to alleged corruption in tractor project

A whistleblower has appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to intervene in a stalled agricultural mechanisation programme, citing corruption and procurement irregularities at the heart of the delays.

The petition alleges that a flagship government drive to modernise farming through the distribution of tractors has been paralysed for more than three years.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Ugandan economy, and the programme was designed to move the sector away from a reliance on manual labour toward higher productivity.

Allegations of procurement failures

The whistleblower claims that irregular procurement processes at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) have not only blocked the delivery of equipment but also discouraged international donors.

According to the letter, several development partners have threatened to withdraw funding or have already done so, citing a lack of transparency and non-compliance with international procurement standards.

At the centre of these claims are the ministry’s evaluation committees. The whistleblower accuses officials of:

• Manipulating evaluation reports to favour specific suppliers.
• Disregarding principles of fairness and equity in the selection process.
• Causing donor rejection of procurement reports, leading to repeated cancellations of tractor purchases.

The ministry has previously defended its processes, stating that delays are often the result of strict quality assurance and the need to comply with public finance regulations.

Broken promises to farmers

The mechanisation scheme was a central pillar of Mr Museveni’s recent campaign, intended to provide four-wheel tractors for large-scale operations and two-wheel tractors for smallholder farmers, youth and women.

For many farmer organisations and cooperatives, the wait for this equipment has now entered its third year.

The impact is felt most acutely in regions like Northern Uganda, where districts such as Gulu and Lira were earmarked for significant tractor deployment to support irrigation and land preparation.

Without the promised machinery, farmers remain dependent on the hand hoe, limiting the amount of land they can cultivate and leaving them vulnerable to climate shocks.

A test of political will

The whistleblower is now calling for a complete cleanup of the procurement processes within the ministry and a renewed effort to engage with frustrated donors.

The letter warns that without decisive intervention from the presidency, the programme risks becoming another failed reform that exists only on paper.

As the government continues to promote agro-industrialisation as the engine of Uganda’s economic growth, the fate of the tractor programme is being seen as a crucial test of institutional integrity.