Prime
Traffic diverted as Kampala Northern bypass road maintenance starts

Maintenance works on the Northern Bypass will take about six months, according to government
What you need to know:
- The first phase of the 23km bypass was completed in October 2009 following about five years of construction funded by the European Union and the Uganda government at Shs118 billion.
The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, has announced planned maintenance of the Kampala Northern Bypass which will divert traffic starting December 28.
According to a Friday statement, Gen Katumba, noted that his ministry, working the Uganda Police Force and Stirling Civil Engineering Limited will start maintenance with 21km during this first phase.
"The road works focusses on sections of the Kampala Northern Bypass, especially between the Kisaasi and Busega interchanges and involve removing old asphalt, processing the base, priming, and laying new asphalt overlay," he said.
Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes off the Northern Byapass during the six-month road maintenance works.
"The affected carriageway sections will be fully closed for safety and efficiency, with traffic diverted to the opposite side. The closure will be in effect day and night during the works," Gen Katumba added.
During this period, traffic will be diverted to the opposite side of the road.
The Kampala Northern Bypass which forms semicircle across the northern suburbs of Kampala, Uganda's capital was constructed to relieve traffic congestion within the city center, allowing cross-country traffic to bypass the city's downtown area.
The first phase of the 23km bypass was completed in October 2009 following about five years of construction funded by the European Union and the Uganda government at Shs118 billion.
When the Northern Bypass was eventually completed in 2021, going by the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) timelines, it had taken a total of 17 years to construct it, a record haul for Uganda’s faltering project, particularly given its length.
The cost of the road was yet another sticky issue.
Its expansion into a four-lane high way - was in the range of Shs448 billion, up from Shs285 billion; almost three times the original cost.
These figures were part of the contract signed on April 7, 2014, between Unra and the Portuguese contractor, Mota Engil.