UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | Kampala City, with its extensive road network spanning 2,100 kilometres, has long been grappling as road repairs leave much to be desired.
Of these roads, less than 700 kilometres are paved with tarmac or asphalt, while the majority, approximately 1,500 kilometres, consist of murram or dusty tracks.
However, according to Simon Kasyate, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Deputy Director of Public & Corporate Affairs, recent developments have brought a glimmer of hope to residents and commuters as road repairs in the city have commenced.
Over the past two months, the state of Kampala’s roads has been a subject of outcry and discontent.
Potholes have plagued various sections of the city, making driving in a straight line an arduous task and giving rise to humorous remarks such as “We do not drive on the left, but rather on what’s left of our roads.”
These concerns have been shared both in real conversations and across social media platforms.
Despite the prevalent road conditions, certain areas in Kampala City have immaculately paved roads adorned with essential road furniture, including street lighting, signalised junctions, lane paints, reflectors, and barriers.
Locations such as Mutungo Hill, where roads like the ring road, Natasha Road, and the trans-hill road from Spring Road to the Biina church junction are located, offer a pleasant commuting experience for residents and travellers.
Additionally, the access road into Luzira from the ‘backside’ has also been well-maintained.
Similar improvements have been observed in Ntinda and Naguru, where roads connecting Stretcher to the Bukoto-Ntinda main roads have undergone significant rehabilitation.
Rubaga Division, specifically Kituuzi Lungujja and nearby areas, has also seen positive changes.
Despite these positive developments, several major artery roads in Kampala, such as the Industrial area pack of 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th streets, Salaama Road, Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, and Old Potbell Road, have deteriorated beyond acceptable levels.
However, the good news is that the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation project, financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), is now underway, and work has commenced on the majority of these roads.
The persistent issue of potholes on these and other roads has made commuting within the city an ordeal. Compounding the problem, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has faced financial constraints in funding routine repairs.
By December 2022, KCCA had identified approximately 8,500 square meters of potholes across the city’s five divisions and had a repair plan in place. However, due to inadequate funding, the plan could not be implemented.
As of the beginning of this month, KCCA has successfully prepared, filled, and covered approximately 6,000 square meters of the identified potholes with asphalt. This progress is a result of the dedicated efforts of the division maintenance teams.
Notable repairs have been carried out in various divisions, including Nakawa, Makindye, Central Region, and Kawempe.
In Nakawa, more than 20 roads have been repaired, accounting for a total of 1,579.8 square meters.
Similarly, Makindye Division has seen repairs on over 20 roads, totalling 1,288.73 square meters. In the Central region, repairs have been conducted on more than 30 roads, covering a total of 1,038 square meters.
Remarkably, in Kawempe Division, out of the 972 square meters of potholes slated for repair, 977 have been completed, reflecting over 100 per cent execution on road repairs.
While significant progress has been made, there is still much work to be done. KCCA acknowledges that road repairs are an ongoing endeavour and not a one-time activity.
With the available budget, KCCA remains committed to its maintenance role and is closely supervising the ongoing rehabilitation projects in the city.
Notably, four major drainage works are currently underway, with funding from the Government of Uganda.
Additionally, under World Bank funding, drainage improvement works on the Lubigi Primary channel and Nakamiro Secondary channel in Kawempe Division are nearing completion.
The construction of the traffic centre, as part of the Uganda-Japan technical cooperation project named “The Project for Capacity Enhancement of KCCA in Management of Traffic Flow in Kampala City,” has also seen significant progress.
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