Kampala Capital City Authority is set to take over a stalled 7.1-kilometre stretch of Old Masaka Road amid funding challenges, while fast-tracking plans to ease chronic congestion at Namasuba.
Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi said the road, previously under the Ministry of Works and Transport, will be handed to the city authority following disagreements over its management.
Although the road design is complete, Kigenyi said lack of funding has delayed full reconstruction, leaving KCCA to carry out only limited maintenance for now.
“This is one of the priority road sections, but funding remains the key constraint,” he said.
Attention is also shifting to the heavily congested Namasuba junction, where motorists spend up to 40 minutes in traffic. KCCA is planning to replace the roundabout with traffic lights, citing improved flow at other signalized intersections in the city.
The authority is also grappling with vandalism of traffic lights, particularly during power outages, which has disrupted operations at several junctions.
Kigenyi further pointed to rising disputes over compensation, revealing that some property owners are demanding excessive payments for road expansion. In one case, he said, a resident sought Shs1.2 billion for frontage access.
Meanwhile, KCCA has asked the Uganda Communications Commission to enforce a Cabinet directive requiring telecom companies to move cables underground, blaming overhead wiring for disorganized road infrastructure.
Kampala Minister Minsa Kabanda said ongoing road works are already easing movement and improving business conditions, despite disruptions caused by construction.
She urged residents to remain patient, saying the upgrades are part of a broader metropolitan strategy involving surrounding districts such as Wakiso District and Mukono District to manage growing commuter traffic into the capital.
“These are short-term inconveniences for long-term gains,” Kabanda said.
The developments come as KCCA rolls out a zone-based construction approach, undertaking multiple road projects simultaneously to avoid repeated traffic disruptions across the city.