Kasese MPs want government to expedite construction of DR Congo roads

A section legislators from Kasese led by the municipality MP Ferigo Kambale has asked government to speed up the process of constructing the Uganda- DR Congo roads as it will enhance cross border trade and commerce between the two countries.

The legislators said the partnership will help the two countries deal with the bad elements that usually hide in DR Congo and destabilise the mountain areas of Uganda.

In June this year, President Museveni and his counterpart in DRC Felix Tshisekedi broke the ground for the construction of the first of the three roads that will connect their two countries.

The MPs said the construction company contracted to construct the roads in DR Congo must speed up the process arguing that the early completion of the project will enhance cross border trade and commerce between the two countries.

They urged the contractor to consider hiring the local labour during the construction of the road.

On the issue of insecurity, they said the roads will help the two governments coordinate on how to deal with criminals that hide in DR Congo to cause instability in Uganda.

The three roads with a length of 223 Kilometers were approved by cabinet in October last year and are expected to cost around $330 million. The first road of 80km will run between the border town of Mpondwe in Uganda to Beni in DRC

The second road will be entirely in the DRC and will cover 89KMs between Bunagana on the Uganda border and the port of Goma on the Northern shore of Lake Kivu.

The third road of 54 KM will link Beni to the important commercial centre of Butemboa.