Prime
Inside govt plan to end potholes in Kampala
Vice President Jessica Alupo (circled) and other government officials commission construction works for the Najjera-Kira-Bulindo roadworks in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, on September 10, 2024. PHOTO | COURTESY | VICE
PRESIDENT X HANDLE
What you need to know:
- Works State Minister Musa Ecweru called upon road users to respect road safety signs after the works are complete.
Residents of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area can now breathe a sigh of relief after the government rolled out a Shs2 trillion ($566m) grand plan to construct 440km of roads in the area on Tuesday.
The project, to be implemented by the Government of Uganda, with funding from the World Bank and France, follows public outcry over the sorry state of many roads, which they said is responsible for the unceasing traffic jams.
Last year, Ugandans launched a potholes exhibition on social media, mainly X (formerly Twitter), where they exposed the country’s dilapidated roads and condemned the government for turning a deaf ear to the growing problem.
“The World Bank has given us $556m for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Urban Area Programme, where we shall construct 440kms of roads, 19 markets and two animal slaughter spaces. We thank the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the French Development Agency for the continued support in this cause,” Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda said during the launch of the project in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District on Tuesday.
Under the programme, the government also plans to construct several modern markets, including four in Kampala City, one in Mukono District, two in Mukono Municipality, two in Mpigi District and one in Makindye-Ssabagabo Municipality.
Others will be constructed in Wakiso District (three), Nansana Municipality (one), Kira Municipality (two).
Some of the key roads whose construction works were recently advertised in Kampala City include Ben Kiwanuka Street, Rashid Kamis Road, Old Kampala Ring Road, Matiya Mulumba Road and Muganzi Lavazza Road.
Others are Mukalazi Road, Kira Road, Katalemwa Road and Kigobe Road, all in the Kampala central region.
In Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, some of the roads lined up for construction include Wamala-Katooke, Katooke-Nabweru link, New Era Road, Lugoba Link and Nansana Nabweru Link.
In Makindye-Saabagabo Municipality, the roads to be upgraded include Kisozi, Kitemu-Naggalabi, Kitoro, Nakiwogo and Kiwadu, among others.
The Vice President, Ms Jessica Alupo, who represented President Museveni at the function where they also commissioned construction works for the Najjera-Kira-Bulindo roadworks, said the project-affected persons will be compensated.
“This programme will contribute to addressing the challenges that have been faced in Kampala Metropolitan Area, especially flooding, traffic congestion, poor road infrastructure, among others. The road network situation in the area has been alarming despite the government’s continued interventions through the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA),” she said.
Ms Alupo said urban mobility is still a major challenge, hence the need to invest more in urban transport infrastructure to facilitate public transport.
“About 14.3 percent of the roads are paved and are in good condition. The situation is worse in the remaining eight local governments of the metropolitan area, where urban mobility is a challenge,” she added.
Works State Minister Musa Ecweru called upon road users to respect road safety signs after the works are complete.
“It was very difficult to explain how roads in the countryside are better than those in the city. I am glad that this programme is to help us restore the beauty of Kampala City,” he said.
The roadworks are expected to be completed in five years.
