Govt commissions Nyendo - Bukakkata Road
Works minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala . PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Gen Katumba said the money used to construct the road was borrowed and warned the residents against vandalising it.
Government has commissioned the 41 kilometre Nyendo-Bukakkata Road following the completion of works.
The project, which is valued at about Shs165.3b, was undertaken by Arab Contractors Limited (Osman Ahmed Osman &Co).
While commissioning the road at Nyendo Township on Monday, the Works and Transport minister, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, applauded the contractor for the quality work, saying the road is going to boost the fisheries, farming and tourism sectors which are major economic activities in Masaka and Kalangala districts.
Gen Katumba said the money used to construct the road was borrowed and warned the residents against vandalising it.
“This is borrowed money which all Ugandans will pay. So vandalise the road signs knowing that it is your money that will be used to repay the loan,” he said.
He added: “I also implore you to avoid depositing garbage in the trenches. The city leadership should enact by-laws to protect all the newly constructed roads in this area.”
However, Gen Katumba refused to commission Broadway Road, commonly known as Nyendo-Masaka-Kijjabwemi Road, saying it is incomplete.
The project undertaken by Chongqing International Construction Corporation at Shs35.9 billion and was expected to have been completed last year.
Masaka City mayor Florence Namayanaja told the minister that the city needs more funds to work on more than 362 kilometres of roads to cover all the new areas annexed to the city.
“The city road network increased from 46 kilometres to 362 kilometres. So, we ask government to consider allocating more funds to Masaka City to help us improve the poor state of our roads,” she said.
Mr Joseph Otim, the director of road maintenance at Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) who represented the executive director, Ms Allen Kagina, asked motorists to avoid carrying excess cargo since it damages the roads.
Mr Sam Kitonsa, a fisherman at Lambu A Landing Site in Masaka City, said the road has started attracting investors to the landing site.
“We have received two private clinics in the area, where our people go whenever they fail to get medical assistance from Lambu Health Centre III,” he said in an interview on Monday.
Ms Sula Mutumba, a resident of Mugoye Village in Kalangala District, asked government to repaire the Luuku-Mulabana-Kalangala Road.
About the project
Construction works on Nyendo-Bukakkata Road commenced in June 2019. The project was funded by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) Fund for International Development.
