Unra pledges to complete upgrade of six highways

The executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (unra), Ms Allen Kagina, has pledged to complete the rehabilitation of six national roads by end of the year.

“Under this reporting period, rehabilitation and reconstruction of 346.5km of national roads to reinstate their serviceability continued and the projects are at different advanced stages,” Ms Kagina said.

She made the pledge on Wednesday in Kampala while addressing journalists about Unra’s performance in the last six months.

The roads to be rehabilitated include Nyenga-Njeru(10km), Nakalama-Tirinyi-Mbale (102km), Fort Portal-Hima (55km), Hima-Katunguru road(60km), Ishaka-Katunguru (58km), Fort Portal-Kyenjojo (50km) and Nakawa-Seeta (9km).

Ms Kagina also announced that there will be an upgrade of 1,715km of roads whose procurement is underway
“The national road network programme has 1,715km projects that will be coming on board for upgrading. These are currently ongoing or in procurement,” she explained.

Ms Kagina also announced that six ferries and five weigh bridges will also be built.

“There are six upcoming ferries to be added to the ferry service fleet. We are adding five multi-deck weighbridges onto the road network namely; Magamaga, Mubende, Mbalke, Kamdini and Kamengo, and installation is expected in June 2020,” she pledged.

Unra board members recently wrote to the Works minister, Gen Katumba Wamala, recommending a second term of office for Ms Kagina. Gen Katumba has since renewed her contract.

Ms Kagina said Unra has in the last two financial years allocated at least 28 per cent of the contracts to domestic contractors. “In the last two financial years; 2017/18 and 2018/19, 24 per cent (worth Shs1,064 billion) and 28 per cent (worth Shs737 billion) respectively, of all the contracts signed by Unra, were awarded to local and or resident providers,” she said.

“There [are] three speed weigh-in motion systems namely; Luweero, Mbarara and Magamaga. Three boarder post weigh stations at Mutukula, Elegu and Malaba are now operational,” Ms Kagina added.

She also said that 26 road projects equivalent to 1,131km have been completed between 2016 and June 2019 compared to 17 projects completed from 2008 to 2015.

The Unra executive director further explained that heavy rain across the country last year affected construction works and destroyed several roads.

Update on flyover
The director of roads and bridges, Eng Sam Muhoozi, revealed that the actual construction of the Kampala flyover will commence in two months.

“We have been doing soil investigations. We are also doing relocation of utilities such as electricity, water, and telephone lines. Good enough [is that] the still pipes which are going to be drilled [into the ground] have already reached the country. So within two months, you will see actual construction,” Eng Muhoozi revealed.

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