African Books

The Big We is a bold and practical manifesto for transforming Uganda’s construction industry into a powerful engine of national development. Grounded in history, economics, and real industry experience, Dr. Apollo Buregyeya reframes construction not merely as a sector, but as the backbone of civilization itself—one that shapes markets, livelihoods, and the trajectory of a nation. The book exposes the structural weaknesses that have kept local contractors at the margins of their own economy, including dependence on foreign firms, misaligned procurement systems, high financing costs, and the uncritical adoption of external standards and technologies. It challenges the illusion of a “level playing field” and argues that without deliberate policy and institutional reform, Uganda will continue to outsource both value and capability. At the heart of the book is the “BIG WE” framework—Business Development, Infrastructure Quality, Graduates, Wages, and Exports—a five-part strategy designed to build a competitive, self-reliant, and globally relevant construction industry. Through this framework, the book outlines how Uganda can develop financially strong contractors, raise infrastructure quality through systemic reform, align education with industry needs, improve labour productivity and wages, and ultimately export construction services and expertise. Blending technical insight with economic reasoning, The Big We makes a compelling case for economic patriotism, local capacity building, and institutional alignment. It calls on government, industry players, and professionals to act collectively—to move from “me” to “we”—and take ownership of the nation’s development agenda. This is not just a book about construction. It is a blueprint for reclaiming control of Uganda’s economic future.