Road transport occupies more than 92% of transport in Uganda both passenger and cargo. However presence of poor road infrastructure in various part of the country curtails mobility and easy transportation of goods, community roads and highways all in unjust conditions, this fails the government core value of poverty eradication through the National Development Plan (NDP).
Upon agreements and meetings,both governments came to a Memorandum of Understanding in 2010, the Japanese government through its agency , Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), considered road infrastructure development throughout Uganda, as part of its investment and loan lending fields. On agreement it took on projects of New bridge across R.Nile at jinja at the approximate cost of 100million US dollars, this project was successful.
The other projects included upgrading the road network of the Atiak -Nimule road estimated at 40.9 million US dollars, with the aim of improving trade between Uganda and Sudan this is still on going and the construction of the Kampala fly over and road upgrading project. The fly over projects commenced in 2013 and on going at clock Tower and Kitugm House, with the mandate of controlling traffic and improving transport in Kampala metropolitan Area.
The boat was still sailing to deliver all projects in time, not until the increased breakdown of road network especially in the capital of the country Kampala, which raised the debate over the durability and the standard of roads in this country. After the increased potholes exhibition around Kampala streets in the media both social and traditional media, the Japanese government got concerned and asked Ugandan government to account for the dilapidation of the city into a pothole ore.
The matter went sour as the Japanese government promised not to grant Uganda anymore funds for road infrastructure development, if no proper elucidation is put forward by the Ugandan government on the matter. This comes at the time when Uganda is going to read her 2023-2024 budget where infrastructure development especially the road network needs more funding to harness mobility and trade.
In time where the major budget funders western world, have threatened to cut all their aid away from Uganda after passing the Anti-homosexuality bill into law , the budget for 2023-2024 read today what next for the projects ongoing under JICA in a scenario where they aren’t satisfied with the statement on the breakdown of city roads at a rapid and devastating manner.
Article by,
KATONGOLE ARNOLD.