Uganda’s Stolen Billions : 1.4 Trillion For Lubowa Hospital/ Pinetti

REALITY: A ghost site swallowed by bush and silence.

In 2019, the Ugandan government unveiled a grand vision — the Lubowa International Specialized Hospital — a modern marvel meant to attract medical tourists, offer advanced treatment to Ugandans, and curb the country’s reliance on costly referrals abroad.

The project came with an eye-watering price tag: Shs 1.4 trillion.

The contract was awarded to Finasi/Roko Construction SPV Ltd, a special-purpose vehicle that involved controversial Italian investor Enrica Pinetti. Five years later, all Ugandans have to show for the massive investment is a bush-covered site in Wakiso District, with scattered structures, idle equipment, and a deafening silence from government officials.

The Great Promise

According to the government, the hospital would be fully equipped with specialized units for cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, and transplant surgeries. The deal was fast-tracked with government backing, allowing Pinetti’s company to secure funding through sovereign guarantees—meaning Ugandans, not the investor, would shoulder the financial burden.

The project was promoted as a game-changer. Then-Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde and former State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite were among the high-ranking officials who endorsed the plan, appearing in media briefings and branding it a step towards economic independence in healthcare.

The Disappearance of Shs 1.4 Trillion

Despite several budget allocations, site visits, and media promises, Lubowa remains unfinished and non-functional. A 2023 parliamentary report revealed that most of the structures remain skeletal, and no equipment or medical services have been deployed.

Shs 1.4 trillion—an amount that could have built and equipped at least 10 regional hospitals or increased salaries for thousands of health workers—has effectively vanished into thin air.

Implicated Figures and Key Enablers

• Amelia Kyambadde (former Trade Minister): Strongly pushed for the project, defending the investor’s credibility.

• Evelyn Anite (former State Minister for Investment): Advocated for government support, calling critics “enemies of progress.”

• Keith Muhakanizi (deceased, then PSST – Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury): Approved funding despite public uproar and parliamentary warnings.

Parliament was not blind to the looming disaster. Yet every warning was met with indifference or outright hostility from government technocrats and State House loyalists.

Quote of the Day

“This was never about medicine. It was engineered theft disguised as national development.”
— Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, MP Kira Municipality

His statement echoed the sentiments of many opposition legislators and civil society groups who have long questioned the motives behind the Lubowa project.

Enrica Pinetti: The Phantom Operator

Pinetti, the face of Finasi/Roko, remains elusive. She has never appeared before Parliament to explain the project delays. Her ties to other controversial deals, including the now-cancelled Uganda Vinci Coffee Company (UVCC) agreement, only deepen suspicions.

In both cases, she was granted extensive powers, tax holidays, and government guarantees, bypassing normal procurement channels and public consultation.

From Development to Devastation

The Lubowa debacle is a prime case of development turned disaster. In a country where pregnant mothers still die due to lack of basic care, and patients sleep on hospital floors, the decision to pour billions into an empty vanity project is seen by many as criminal.

To this day, no arrests have been made, no money recovered, and no meaningful audit published. The project’s managers remain in the shadows, while taxpayers continue to service the debt.

What Could Have Been Done with Shs 1.4 Trillion?

• Fully refurbish Mulago National Referral Hospital.

• Equip all regional referral hospitals with ICU units.

• Pay health workers a decent living wage.

• Fund cancer and heart institutes with cutting-edge tools.

Instead, Uganda is left with a fenced bush, an empty promise, and a deepening debt hole.