Construction of roads commences in DR Congo
UPDF's Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga (inset) and FARDC's Maj Gen Bombelle Camille Ehola on March 23 presided over a ceremony that commenced construction Of Kasindi-Beni-Butembo Road. PHOTO/UPDF HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- The commencement of construction works on the roads comes at a time when the two countries are in joint operation targeted at ADF rebels.
- Maj Gen Ehola disclosed that the joint forces are working together, sharing the available resources and fighting a common enemy.
Construction of the 125-kilometre Kasindi-Beni-Butembo Road in the DR Congo at the Uganda-Mpondwe border has commenced.
The commissioning ceremony for the construction took place at Mpondwe-Lubiriha on the Ugandan border with two Operation Shujaa commanders—Maj Gen Bombelle Camille Ehola (DR Congo army) and Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga (UPDF)—present.
President Museveni and his DR Congo counterpart Felix Antoine Tshisekedi last June commissioned a road infrastructure connectivity project straddling the Mpondwe/Kasindi-Beni Road (80km); the Bunagana-Rutshuru-Goma Road (89km) and the Beni-Butembo Axis (54km).
Mr Muhindi Eliphaze Bukombi, the Kasese LC5 Chairman, believes the roads “uplift the economic wellbeing of…people” in both countries.
“Aware that peace and security is the cornerstone for meaningful development, we thank the two presidents for being visionary,” he said, adding, “They realised that although we are separated by the boundaries, we need to coexist. People of Kasese are the primary beneficiaries of this project through employment, rental services and buying or selling of products.”
The commencement of construction works on the roads comes at a time when the two countries are in joint operation targeted at ADF rebels. Maj Gen Ehola disclosed that the joint forces are working together, sharing the available resources and fighting a common enemy.
Maj Gen Ehola also assured the project contractor—DOTT Services—that the forces are “ready to implement the task [of] guarding this project.”
Maj Gen Muhanga said the road project is important for security as well as a national strategy since it will help people to carry out business unfettered.
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“We are also jointly constructing other roads like Nobili-Mukakati-River Semuliki and Burasi-Boga roads,” Maj Gen Muhanga revealed, adding, “After, the Bunagana-Rutchuru-Goma Road will be protected and tarmacked.”
