I left Entebbe road for a meeting in Bugolobi. I branched off at Stella-Najjanakumbi via Busabala road, Calendar down to Nsambya, Mukwano road, Industrial area 7th street, Mulwana road to Luthuli Avenue, which was our meeting point. All through this journey, I kept wondering why Kampala roads have since turned into ditches of sorts. Secondly a journey of 13kms took me 55minutes not because of traffic jam but because of potholed roads.
Both Mulwana & Mukwano roads were named against the two best entrepreneurs in Uganda in the last 30 years. I paused questions to myself, that if it’s true that the dead are not dead-(this used to be a CRE question during my secondary school days) are these business giants happy and smiling wherever they are? A few indigenous companies in Uganda that pays taxes as much as Mukwano and Mulwana group of companies are paying. A few local industries that are employing ugandans as Mukwano and Mulwana companies are doing. A few companies that have impacted on the lives of ugandans than these companies. No Home in Uganda that don’t have a mukwano/Mulwana product. From soap, plastics, toothbrushes, batteries, washing powder etc. Its an embrassement to the ghosts of these died but still alive Ugandan businessmen of all time.
These two gents lived a simple life, they associated their lives with reality. They never lived exaggerated or artificial lives. They built churches, mosques, and other community projects. Having tattered roads named against them is not only a shame but also a national disaster.
Bad roads & increased fuel prices.
Ugandans are dying twice like charcoal. Whereas increase in fuel prices maybe a matter out of governments hands, having city bad roads cannot be cushioned on any other third party. The cost of driving in Uganda is very high with good roads. I am sure no 70% of Ugandans owning cars go to garages twice a year because of accidents associated with driving on narrow roads, indiscipline bodabodas, accidents due to silen lead cars etc. When you add on Kampala bad roads, going to garages is must. Ofcourse us the salon car owners are hit twice compared to government leaders that are driven in 4WD vehicles.
Bad roads and tourism drives.
There has been a drive about attracting tourist and investors to come to Uganda for both vacation and business. I am not sure though that there is any serious business owner or tourist will return to Uganda for either leisure of investment after going through Kampala roads. Remember first impression is the everlasting one. The roads from city center to Investment authority offices in Namanve or to URA or to Resort Hotel Munyonyo are all in shambles. These investors will reach their destined offices or hotels when their backs have given way. The next thing in their minds is catch the next flight and look for another country. Uganda tourism board and its teams may not hit their targets not because of their ill productivity but because of kamapala city ugly roads. They are selling a bad packaged product.
UNRA & Kampala Roads.
Recently, ED-UNRA shared the scheduled roads to be worked on. Quite a number of them are countryside. According to the Uganda National Roads Authority executive director Allen Kagina, the roads include the long awaited Kisubi- Nakawuka, Nateete road, Nakawuka –Kasanje-Mpigi road, Mbulamuti –Kamuli-Bukungu road which covers 127 Km, Iganga Bulopa Kamuli road, Kawuku Bwerenga road, Koboko –Yumbe –Moyo road and Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi and Kisoro Mgahinga road among others . Yes, these wanaichi from upcountry deserve to have better roads but Kampala should be a priority. That is why Kampala roads issue has now moved from being a problem to a crisis meaning that we must evoke crisis management protocols. I expect cabinet to advise UNRA to cease works on other roads and deploy its work force, resources, equipment and energies on Kampala at least for the next 24 months. Kampala is no longer a capital city; it is looking ugly, disorganized and deserted by its leaders.
The budget constraints’ excuse.
It’s true the resource envelope for the country is limited. Road construction is expensive of course, it’s worse in Uganda because of the corruption of the project managers and executors. The way government mobilized billions to fight covid, it should be the same way to deal with Kampala roads. That’s why I have used the panic mode in the title of this article.
Business costs due to bad roads.
Transporting of goods and services and people has become difficult and costly. The only happy people in this road madness are fuel station & garage owners. Replacement of shock absorbers, brakes, tyres, wheel arraignments etc. Fuel consumed on bad roads is far high than fuel consumed on a good road. Of course as a country our tax regime is un favorable especially for businesses like rental tax, withholding tax, local tax, VAT, income tax, exercise duty, import duty etc. The bad roads compound the already bogus situation.
Bad roads and country’s image.
For the last 23 years that I have been in Kampala, it has never looked ugly as it is. The bad road, poor drainage, flooding, etc. The contrys image has been tainted and smeared with mud. In other countries, the mayor-ED KCCA would have resigned. Of course the ED has her own excuses but we cannot leave in an era of pointing fingures. How comes Jenifer Musisi was able to pull moves on the city infrastructure? Its because she mastered the art of engagement the resource givers.
No single benefit from city bad roads.
Minus the garage and petrol stations, no documented benefit realized from having bad roads in Kampala. The costs associated with the current roads conditions in Kampala are huge. The businesses will continue to limp to death, patients will die on the way to hospitals due to delays and bad roads, tourists will come and never come again because of bad experience, the investors will checkout of their hotels before the actual date and have their return tickets changed because of bad roads, the local investors will relocate to other countries because of bad roads and of course, the current government will lose some good votes because of roads.
President Museveni, as you have always done, you can fix this problem. The 5billion ugx you directed to be released did nothing. We don’t feel it, we don’t see its work. Use your gurriella tackits and fix Kamapala roads otherwise, the bad roads impact on 2026 maybe unforgettable.
As for now, me and my Mark X salon car, will blaze for the MDD while on Kampala roads. The physiotherapists open wide your chambers, back pain patients are queuing on the doorsteps because the bad roads are yet to sand down.
For God and my country.
Samson Tinka- tIndsam@yahoo.com
Writer is a resident of Kampala
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