The year 2025 has kicked off at full speed in the public procurement sphere. The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Uganda’s regulatory authority for public procurement, has resumed its strategic, inclusive agenda to promote the participation of special interest groups in public procurement.
Gazetted on 22nd March 2024, Section 63(2) of the amended PPDA Act, Cap 205 provides for reservation schemes aimed at promoting the participation of registered associations of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). According to the guidelines, 15% of an entity’s procurement budget is reserved for these groups. Additionally, procurements valued at UGX 30 million or less within Central Government entities, and those valued at UGX 10 million or less within Local Government entities, are exclusively reserved for registered associations of women, youth, and PWDs.
Consequently, on 21st November 2024, PPDA issued a public call through newspapers, inviting enterprises owned by women, youth, and PWDs to register on the national special interest groups database. Building on the responses received, the Authority organized a one-day training session on 22nd January 2025 for youth groups and enterprises across the country that had responded but were not yet registered on the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system. This training was conducted at the Authority’s headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.
The session was held in collaboration with the Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC) under the Open Contracting Partnership (OCP)’s LiFT Programme. Its purpose was to equip and empower representatives of these groups with information on registration processes and best practices for successful bidding, thereby enabling them to actively participate in Uganda’s public procurement processes.
Officiating the training, PPDA Executive Director Benson Turamye reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to operationalizing the PPDA Act amendments. He emphasized the importance of these initiatives in fostering the participation of special interest groups in public procurement.
“PPDA will work closely with Procuring and Disposing Entities and monitor contract implementation to ensure compliance with these guidelines. We urge all service providers, suppliers, and contractors to organize and prepare to benefit from these reservation schemes. The Authority will also support you by addressing challenges through sensitization, training, and advisory services, while tackling corruption issues that have previously hindered effective participation,” he said.
Gilbert Sendugwa, the Executive Director of AFIC, echoed the call for government entities to fulfill their obligations in implementing reserved quotas for special interest groups. He also encouraged the recipient groups to diligently fulfill their contractual obligations once awarded government contracts. “Effective execution enhances credibility and increases the chances of securing future lucrative opportunities,” he added.
To ensure equitable access to these opportunities, PPDA is extending its registration and capacity-building centers to regional offices in Mbale, Gulu, and Mbarara. This move aims to ensure that youth, women, and PWDs in these regions benefit from this strategic initiative. Furthermore, PPDA is partnering with the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to utilize its widespread network of offices across the country to receive corruption-related complaints, should any unethical government officials attempt to exploit or undermine special interest groups.
In the long term, PPDA envisions that this strategy will contribute to sustainable development through the economic and social empowerment of women, youth, and PWDs.
