Road Fund boss decries slashing of their budget

The Uganda Road Fund has decried a budget cut that is likely to affect service delivery in Kampala.

The fund budgeted for Shs 550 billion but was allocated only Shs 450 billion, which is 100 billion less, with no explanation.

Dr Michael Odong, the executive director of the Fund, said the decision would imperil their work.This was during the handover of light road maintenance equipment worth 1.5 billion Uganda Shillings to KCCA. 

In particular, he said, they will not be able to maintain certain roads.  

Odongo, who said Uganda’s roads that have a total value of $6 billion added that they need proper maintenance.

"The cut without explanation is dictatorship. Somebody has just dictated that it should be cut by Shs 100 billion. its dictatorship there is no rationality in it and for us who are in charge if maintenance, it is very irritating’’ He says the poor drainage system in Kampala that floods Kampala roads, calls for routine maintenance of roads.

He called for the ministry of Finance to restore their budget for proper running of the road fund.

He adds that even the money from Road User charges that accumulate from express penalties, annual license fees among others has not been remitted to them for the last 10 years.

The acting executive director KCCA Engineer Andrew Kitaka noted that KCCA is fighting to work on Kampala drainage system to save city roads from damage that comes about as a result of flooding.

The road maintenance money funds the routine and periodic maintenance, and in Kampala unblocking drainage, repairing potholes among others.