The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has disclosed that the Ishasha-Kanungu Rukungiri road has significantly reduced travel time from 3 hours to 1.5 hours following its construction, with the project now at 93% completion awaiting commissioning.
Speaking to The Nile Post, UNRA executive director Allen Kagina noted that this has increased benefits of trade and time management.
“The Rukungiri-Ishasha Kanungu road has reduced travel time from 3 hours to 1 and a half hours, this has increased the turnaround time and benefits in trade and tourism in the region” Kagina said.
The bituminous standard 78.5km road Network construction began in 2018. Works on the main road were completed on November 17, 2023. The Consultant issued a taking over certificate to the contractor, marking the start of the project's Defects Liability Period.
However, UNRA expresses dismay regarding the Ishasha Bridge connecting Congo to Uganda, as no progress has been made on the bridge due to the deadlock in Congo's North Kivu province, which is currently under the control of non-state actors.
“The major pending works are town roads, culvert outlet works and Ishasha Bridge but currently the adjacent North Kivu is insecure, so we have no one to talk to on the progress of the works on the bridge, no work done on it since 2018” Kagina said
"We signed an agreement with Congo in 2022 and concluded to begin works on this bridge but the insecurities in Congo have delayed the reconstruction of the bridge" Eng. Sam Muhoozi, the director of roads and bridges at UNRA said.
According to the leaders in the district, transport has eased along the routes to Kanungu and across the border facilitating tourism and trade in the area despite DRC insurgency.
“We are grateful for this road because it has and is facilitating tourism in the region, our trade transaction is growing despite the cross border trade at a halt due to DRC insurgency” Ambrose Mwesigye, the Kanungu district resident commissioner said.
Some of the users we spoke to commend UNRA for the work done and are quick to highlight the speed on the road that is likely to cause accidents.
“The road is very good and we thank UNRA but our people over-speeding and some don’t know how to obey the road signs in place” Moses Mugabirwe, a cyclist in Kanungu said.
The construction of Rukungiri-Kanungu-Ishasha road that stretches from Rukungiri town to Kanungu and to Ishasha border was funded by African Development bank with the purpose to reduce travel time and facilitate trade.