UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | General Katumba Wamala, Uganda’s Minister for Works and Transport, shed light on the reasons behind the delays in the commencement of construction works for the Kampala-Jinja Expressway and Kampala Southern Bypass project.
The government and project funders are yet to finalise negotiations on crucial terms and conditions, which are essential for moving forward with the ambitious infrastructure undertaking.
The project, slated to be executed under a Private Public Partnership (PPP) arrangement spanning 30 years, will follow a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) model. This framework will lay the groundwork for the concession agreement between the government and the chosen private sector concessionaire.
As of December 2023, the selection process for a company to execute the Kampala-Jinja Expressway and Kampala Southern Bypass project as a PPP venture had not been concluded.
Despite visits from various donors such as the European Union, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Finance Cooperation (IFC), and the French Development Agency (AFD) to inspect parts of the proposed route, the project’s implementation timeline remained uncertain.
While this development sparked optimism among residents and commuters anticipating employment opportunities and relief from traffic congestion, John Bosco Ssejjemba, Director of Road Infrastructure at the Ministry of Works, cautioned against premature expectations.
Ssejjemba emphasised that the complex nature of the project necessitates extensive consultations among stakeholders, a process prone to prolonged negotiations.
Ssejjemba disclosed that land acquisition along the project route is underway, alongside discussions between the government and funders regarding the requisite documentation for the private developer’s involvement.
Regarding potential contractors, Ssejjemba mentioned that four companies have expressed interest in executing the project through a PPP model, although he refrained from disclosing the shortlisted candidates.
The Kampala-Jinja Expressway and Kampala Southern Bypass project aims to construct a 76km tolled expressway between Kampala and Jinja, designed to alleviate congestion on the existing Kampala-Jinja highway and within Kampala city.
Furthermore, the initiative seeks to enhance connectivity along the Northern Corridor, a vital trade route linking the Port of Mombasa in Kenya to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the expressway outlines a phased approach, commencing with the 35km stretch from Kampala to Namagunga and the 18km Kampala Southern Bypass.
The comprehensive project scope encompasses flyovers, viaducts, interchanges, connector roads, bridges, underpasses, pedestrian crossings, and toll gates, with an anticipated construction timeline of five years.
The subsequent phase will focus on the 41km segment from Namagunga to Njeru, culminating at the new Nile Bridge.
With an estimated cost of US$1.1 billion, the entire endeavour underscores Uganda’s commitment to modernising its transportation infrastructure to facilitate economic growth and regional connectivity.
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