UGANDA, Sentema | Real Muloodi News | Residents of Wakiso District have welcomed the government’s plan to rehabilitate roads under the Bukasa-Sentema-Kakiri Road Construction project. The poor state of these roads has led to heavy traffic congestion and health hazards caused by dust.
Shortly after State Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye officiated the handover of the contract to Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) on February 13, residents expressed relief.
“Dust had become part of the definition of our area. Dressing in white clothes had become a serious taboo here. We are glad that the government has finally remembered us,” said Rogers Mubiru, a boda-boda rider in Bukasa.
“We had talked and talked, and decided to keep quiet because we were overspending on treating flu due to the dust on this road. The situation is no different when it rains. We were suffering,” he added.
Joan Namubiru, a roadside food vendor, said the road’s condition had negatively affected small businesses.
“People who sell drinks, clothes, and other small businesses struggle because the dust caused by trucks on this road is terrifying,” she said.
The 12.9-kilometer Bukasa-Sentema-Kakiri Road Construction project, set to commence in April and last 18 months, is part of the government’s Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP) 2023-2028 and the Greater Kampala Integrated Urban Development Master Plan. The government aims to rehabilitate 96.7 kilometres of roads across Wakiso District under the initiative.
Wakiso is one of several districts benefiting from the GKMA-UDP, which Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo launched in Kira in September 2023. Other beneficiaries include Kampala, Mpigi, and Mukono districts, as well as municipalities such as Kira, Nansana, Entebbe, Mukono, and Makindye Ssabagabo.
The GKMA Development Framework, approved by the Cabinet in 2013, designated the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area as a Special Planning Area. The framework initially planned for the design and construction of 440.19 kilometres of roads, 19 markets, two slaughterhouses, and 54.5 kilometres of stormwater drainage within the GKMA.
Under the framework, Wakiso District was allocated 96.7 kilometres of roads, three markets, and one stormwater drainage system. Kampala Capital City was set to receive 72.06 kilometres of roads, four markets, and three stormwater drainage systems. Other allocations included Mukono District (59.3 kilometres of roads, two markets, one slaughterhouse, and two kilometres of stormwater drainage) and Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Council (56.6 kilometres of roads, one market, a slaughterhouse, and two stormwater drainage systems).
Additional allocations included:
- Mukono Municipal Council: 45.1 kilometres of roads, two markets, and one stormwater drainage system.
- Nansana Municipal Council: 48 kilometres of roads, one market, a skilling centre, and three stormwater drainage systems.
- Mpigi District: 42.2 kilometres of roads, two markets.
- Entebbe Municipality: 20.5 kilometres of roads, two markets, and two stormwater drainage systems.
- Kira Municipality: 46 kilometres of roads and two markets.
During the handover ceremony at the Wakiso District headquarters, Minister Kyofatogabye said that the project’s successful implementation in Kira motivated its extension to Wakiso.
“Currently, we are planning to clear contracts for 88 kilometres of roads in Wakiso alone. Right now, I have more than Shs200 billion on my account for this project, and we expect rapid implementation because all designs are complete,” Kyofatogabye said.
Government officials and residents believe the Bukasa-Sentema-Kakiri Road Construction project will reduce congestion and boost economic development in Wakiso District.
Betinah Nantege, the Wakiso District Vice Chairperson, emphasized the economic benefits of improved road infrastructure.
“We are optimistic that these roads will enhance business opportunities by easing traffic around Kakiri,” she said.
She also urged the contractor to prioritize employing local labour and cautioned young people in the district against criminal activities.
“I call upon the contractor to prioritize local content by employing our youths. My caution also goes to the youths—do not steal equipment. And to the girls, do not be tempted into unwanted pregnancies by new workers. We want this project to benefit us all,” she added.
Residents are hopeful that the long-awaited rehabilitation will transform the region’s economic landscape and enhance transportation efficiency.
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