Uganda: Unra Lists 24 Completed Roads, Bridges and Ferries

Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) says it has completed upgrading four national roads and eight other roads in various cities and towns, bringing to 5,591 kilometres the national stock of paved roads.

UNRA executive director Allen Kagina said during the 2020/2021 financial year, the national roads agency was able to complete construction of roads connecting Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi, Pallisa-Kamonkoli, Masaka-Bukakata, and Kigumba-Bulima.

Ms Kagina, who was addressing journalists during the annual road sector performance briefing yesterday, said, “This brings to 5,591 kilometres, the total paved stock, which is 22.6 percent of the national road network.

“In addition, UNRA upgraded 120 kilometres of town roads within various cities, towns or municipalities along the project roads which are not part of the national road network,” she said.

Ms Kagina said while roads in the cities and towns were not part of the national road network, they were part of the national roads development programme. She said the authority also undertook rehabilitation and reconstruction of 290.97kms of some sections of the network and are also working on 56 bridges and have completed work on 16 of them.

She said they also awarded contracts worth Shs1.4 trillion to local service providers under the local content reservation scheme for various road maintenance projects. Ms Kagina said UNRA also got an operation and maintenance service provider for the Kampala Expressway to operate and maintain the expressway for five years.

Ms Kagina said despite disruption by flooding last year, UNRA was able to operate its 12 ferries at Nakiwogo, Kiyindi, Mbulambuti, Bisina, Masindi, Kyoga, Albert Nile, Laropi, Obongi, Amuru, and Sigulu.

The annual road sector performance report indicates that financing of the road development programme remains constrained and not in harmony with the UNRA’s five-year plan after the authority closed the financial year with a debt of Shs215b, which limits it from achieving the NDP III objectives.

In the last financial year, President Museveni commissioned 14 road projects and carried out ground-breaking ceremonies for another 10 to be financed by the government.

Mr Jachan Omach, the UNRA board chair, said in the last financial year, government gave them Shs3.9 trillion to construct 400kms of road, but they were able to build only 220km and still incurred debts.

New roads

1. Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi

2. Pallisa-Kamonkoli

3. Masaka-Bukakata

4. Kigumba-Bulima

5. Bulima-Kabwoya

6. Kyenjojo-Kabwoya

7. Olwiyo-Gulu

8. Soroti-Akisim

9. Mubende-Kakumiro-Kagadi

10. Mbarara Town

Commissioned roads

1. Kiyindi-Buvuma Ferry

2. Musiita-Lumino/Busia Majanji Road project

3. Soroti-Akisim-Moroto Road

4. Bumbobi-Lwhakhakha

5. Sigulu Ferry

6. Kashenyi-Mitooma Road

7. Bweranyangye Road

8. Ntungamo-Mirama Hills

9. Kyenjojo-Fort Portal Road

10. Ishaka-Katunguru Road

11. Mubende-Kakumiro Road

12. Sembabule-Villamaria Road

13. Mukono-Katotsi Road

14. Isimba Public Bridge

Road construction to start

1. Masaka town roads

2. Rwenkunya-Lira-Apac-Puranga

3. Saaza Road-Iganga

4. Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli Road

5. Muyembe-Nakapiripirit

6. Hoima Town Roads

7. Busega-Mpigi Expressway

8. Kira-Kasangati-Matuga

9. Najjanankumbi-Busabala

10. Mityana-Mubende