Only 20% of urban roads completed since Museveni SONA directive

President Museveni promised in his State of the Nation Address to prioritise road maintenance in urban centres.

But for the good of "priority", only 20 percent road maintenance works in has been done.

This comes at a time when a total number of over 10 roads in the heart of the city still have no hope of being worked on as explained by the authorities.

Among the five roads within urban centres meant for maintenance as a priority, none has been completed. These include Wamala road, Mutesa 1 road, and junctions around Bulange Mengo, while Kabega and Kigara roads are complete without street lights.

For Lot II such as Spring Road Old Port Bell Road, only 11 percent of the works has been covered.

It is worse for Eighth Street Namuwongo, Seventh Street, Sir Apollo Kaggwa and Suna road junction in Lot III that remains at just 7 percent progress.

There is no progress Salaama Road, Kyebando Ring Road, Widening of Queens Way, and Kisaasi Road in Lot IV, while Lot V comprising Mugema, Masiro, Ssentema, Channels of Kiwunya and Nsoba are stuck at 7 percent.

The Director Engineering and Technical Cervices at Kampala Capital City Authority, Justus Akankwasa, says there are no plans to work on most of the roads due to insufficient funds.

“We were only given Shs10 billion yet we need Shs50 billion for maintenance,” Akankwasa says.

However, the chairperson Kampala city roads committee, Ronald Balimwezo, blames the slow and poor road maintenance on fake bindings among companies meant to do the road construction.

Balimwezo adds that at this rate Kampala Capital City Authority is infiltrated with fear that comes up as directives from the President thus hindering work.