PHOTOS: Uganda’s New Defence Headquarters Takes Shape in Mbuya

Uganda’s Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs is getting a new home, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most significant government infrastructure projects the country has seen in years.

The twin-tower complex rising above Mbuya Hill is now more than 75 per cent complete, with workers focused on the final stretch before handover. The project carries an estimated price tag of Shs94 billion.

By May 2026, both towers had reached their fifth and final floor. Lead engineer Lt Col Robert Chabo says the team is now deep into interior finishing, fitting out technology systems, and wrapping up the remaining work needed before the building officially changes hands.

Chabo credits much of the project’s momentum to a site visit by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba in September 2025, when construction was sitting at roughly 50 per cent. The CDF directed the UPDF Engineers Brigade to have the buildings ready within 11 months, and the team has stayed on track ever since.

The groundbreaking took place in August 2024, when Gen Kainerugaba laid out the vision for what the complex would mean for the country’s armed forces. He spoke about the need to house the ministry’s leadership in surroundings that matched the demands of a modern defence force, saying the new headquarters would support better coordination and operational efficiency across the UPDF.

Once the building is handed over, it will bring defence and veteran affairs administration under one roof, forming a central pillar of the UPDF’s broader modernisation drive.