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Mubende Municipality gets Shs13b for roads
Mubende Municipality has received Shs13b from World Bank to improve infrastructure.
What you need to know:
- Currently, 14 municipalities are benefiting from USMID programme. These include: Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Moroto, Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal and Hoima.
- The first phase of USMID programme worth $150m (about Shs553 billion) commenced in 2013/2014 and ended last year. The improved infrastructure in major towns has enabled some districts such as Mbarara, Jinja, Arua, Fort Portal and Gulu to attain city status while others have been lined up in the coming four years to become cities.
Mubende Municipality has received Shs13b from World Bank to improve infrastructure.
The funds are expected to be used for upgrading selected roads, drainage system and street lights.
Mr Innocent Sekiziyivu, the mayor of Mubende Municipality, said part of the funds would be spent on upgrading Mubende Taxi Park, the Mayor’s Gardens and the construction of Mubende Central Market.
The roads that will be priotised under the first phase include: Lubanga Road, Kifuufu Road, Katogo Road, Church Road, and Central Market Road .
“Consultants from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development will soon come to make designs for these selected roads,” Mr Sekiziyivu said at the weekend.
Mubende Town is among the eight towns that benefited from the next phase of the Municipal Infrastructure Support (USMID) project that is worth $360 million (about Shs1.3 trillion).
The programme is aimed at enhancing institutional performance and improving service delivery in urban centres.
Beneficiaries
Other beneficiary districts include: Kasese, Kamuli, Mubende, Apac, Kitgum, Ntungamo, and Busia.
“Part of the money will be used on physical planning and urban system development.
“We will do beautification work around the town by planting trees, grass and flowers,” he said.
He said the money has already been sent to the municipal council general fund collection account.
Mr Sekiziyivu said to qualify for World Bank funding, they first put in place a municipal development forum, and municipal development plan, among others.
“We have fulfilled all those conditions and that is the reason we have been considered for USMID funding.We now have to utilise the money well because that will be the basis for attracting more funding in the second phase of the planned programme,” he said.
Mr Denis Kyatule, the mayor of East Division, is upbeat about the USMID programme, saying it is going to turn around Mubende Town in terms of infrastructural development .
He said they have been grappling with potholed roads due to limited funds.
“I am happy the central government has considered us this time round. We are sure Mubende is going to develop more because it is on the highway, which will attract more investors after beautifying it,” Mr Kyatule said.
He advised residents, especially landlords, to cooperate with municipal engineers when the construction works start.
Mubende, which was elevated to a municipality in 2017, comprises three divisions including West, East and South. It has a road network of 320 kms.
The municipality has a total population of 200,000 people and a budget of Shs20b.
