Govt secures Shs1 trillion to rehabilitate Kampala roads
A vehicle manoeuvres through a flooded section of road near Kibuli Police Station in Kampala on Monday, July 6, 2020. Most parts of the city flood whenever it rains, creating a traffic gridlock and other sanitation challenges. PHOTO/ RACHEL MABALA
What you need to know:
- The rest of the money – about $71.8m (Shs263.5b) will be used to upgrade the Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Mgahinga road.
- The road network in and around Kampala continues to suffer under a sharp increase in potholes, blamed on shoddy works and an increase in traffic.
Government has secured $348m (Shs1.2 trillion) from the African Development Bank of which $276m (Shs1 trillion) will be used to rehabilitate the worsening road network around Kampala Capital City.
The rest of the money – about $71.8m (Shs263.5b) will be used to upgrade the Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Mgahinga road.
The road network in and around Kampala continues to suffer under a sharp increase in potholes, blamed on shoddy works and an increase in traffic.
Others have lived beyond their user span and have been developing multiple potholes despite continued works.
The agreements were signed by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija and African Development Bank country manager Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan.
In a brief, Mr Kasaija described the projects as “transformative” that will specifically help solve the worsening problem of traffic jam in Kampala.
The project will seek to upgrade 22 road junctions, enhance drainage works as well as improve 67 kilometres of roads, 134 kilometres of non-motorised traffic facilities, provide street lighting and scheduled eco-bus services, including bus depots and dedicated lanes.
On the other hand, work on the Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Mgahinga road is expected to improve transport connectivity in south-western Uganda through creating seamless connections with inland water transport on Lake Bunyonyi and allowing local communities to access social and economic activities, such as tourism.
The project, which includes construction of four landing sites on Lake Bunyonyi, at least 1,000 streetlights in the trading centres where the road passes, two ferries and a search and rescue boats kitted with navigational aids, will also improve agricultural supply chain efficiency in the districts of Kabale, Rubanda, and Kisoro.
It is also expected to create a number of social interventions project including two roadside markets, schools, a hospital, administrative centres, and sanitary facilities to support women and youth vendors.
It will also finance power supply in Bwama Island on Lake Bunyonyi to some 10,000 residents and include planting trees to increase forest cover in the area.
Transformative
AfDB says it will continue to support projects that enhance social and economic transformation. According to Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, the bank is developing a new five-year country strategy paper that will prioritise transformative interventions, especially in the transport sector.
