The titular head of the Muslim community in Uganda, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, has blasted government over failure to work on potholes that have eaten up roads in Kampala.
“The road situation in Kampala is appalling. I want to appeal to Ministry of Works and KCCA in particular to help us and repair the roads. You have constructed roads in many parts of the country including Congo(DRC), we want you to also do the same to Kampala so that we also enjoy the beauty of our city,”Nakibinge said.
He was speaking during Eid-Al-Fitr prayers at Kibuli mosque.
The titular head of the Muslim community in Uganda said it high time government increased funding especially for roads given to KCCA to ensure they are worked upon.
“Increase funding so that all Ugandans can enjoy driving on through our city but what we are going through now is a nightmare when driving through Kampala. Try to repair these roads. ”
The development comes on the backdrop of ‘protests’ by Ugandans on social media over the poor state of roads in Kampala, most of which are filled with potholes.
The protests named Kampala pothole exhibition on several social media platforms saw Ugandans take photos and videos of roads with potholes and post them online as a way of reminding KCCA about the deplorable state of the city’s infrastructure.
Many have since blasted KCCA and the entire government for turning a blind eye to the deplorable situation of roads in the city.
The protests forced President Museveni to direct the Ministry of Finance to release shs6 billion immediately to KCCA to work on potholes and the general road condition in Kampala.
“I now direct the Ministry of Finance to urgently release the quarterly contribution to KCCA of shs6 billion for pothole filling, repairs and maintenance of roads,” Museveni directed on Wednesday.
Museveni said he had been informed that only 30% of the money required to maintain roads in Kampala had been released this financial year causing roads outside the African Development Bank project to get in deplorable conditions.
He therefore directed that the potholes in the country’s capital are worked upon.
“I task the Kampala Executive Director and her team to give the country an account of progress in this matter.”
Earlier, the KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka had said KCCA lacks funds to repair the roads.
“KCCA needs anywhere between shs75 – 100 billion annually in order to be able to effectively maintain our roads and yet we get only shs26 billion for this task,”Kisaka said.
“KCCA is facing challenges with budgets. This situation is not only affecting KCCA but most ministries, departments and agencies which too have had to scale back their activities."
