Museveni blames rich Ugandans for causing jam in the city

By Stephen Kalema

President Museveni has on Wednesday commissioned the construction of Kampala Flyover.

While flagging off the project at Nakivubo Blue Primary School, the President said now was time to start constructing inner city roads which will reduce traffic jam caused by ‘rich Ugandans’.

“We have always concentrated on constructing roads linking Uganda to borders such as Nimule, Malaba among others. But because Ugandans are now rich and have cars, we have a lot of traffic in our city. In order to reduce this, we need flyovers and I thank (former KCCA ED Jeniffer) Musisi for starting this,” said Museveni.

“In Kampala we have three categories of vehicles causing traffic jam; vehicles moving within Kampala, passing through Kampala and those carrying cargo. However, after the construction of this project cargo vehicles will use the Standard Gauge Railway and the upper lane of the flyover,” said Museveni.

The minister of Transport and Works, Monica Azuba Ntege said the project is needed in Kampala because it is the center of politics, administration but most importantly there was the need to improve on the existing roads.

“Kampala has a total of 2,110 kilometres of road distance of which, only 578 kilometres are bituminized. Currently, about 40 per cent of the bituminised roads are in poor condition due to rapid population growth which brings about congestion,” said Azuba.

The project is divided into two phases; One includes Clock Tower Flyover and Nsambya/Mukwano road while two includes Kitgum House Flyover and part of Mukwano road.

However phase two is still undergoing a design review due to interface with Standard Gauge Railway.

Construction of phase one is contracted to Shimizu Corporation-Konoike Joint Venture of Japan at a price of Shs295bn.

According to Fred Jachan Omach, the chairperson Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) will finance the cost of construction works and supervision consultants while the government of Uganda will finance general administrative expenses, taxes, purchase of land and compensations of project affected person (PAPs).