The African Development Bank (AfDB) has given the Ugandan government the green light to begin procurement of a contractor for the construction of the long-awaited Laropi Bridge across the River Nile.
The No Objection clearance issued to the Ministry of Works and Transport allows the government to invite companies to bid for the project, which is being funded by the AfDB through a loan of approximately $15.22 million (about Shs54.3 billion).
The approval comes amid renewed public concern following another mechanical breakdown of the Laropi Ferry, which left thousands of travellers stranded at Laropi Landing Site in Moyo District and Omi Landing Site in Adjumani District.
The disruption, which began on Friday and continued into Saturday morning, forced passengers to wait for hours, while others diverted through the Obongi Ferry crossing to continue their journeys.
Speaking by telephone on Saturday, Ministry of Works and Transport spokesperson Allan Ssempebwa said the project had reached a critical stage after government obtained clearance from the funder to commence the procurement process.
"We have now received a No Objection from the funder to proceed with the procurement process. The next step is to invite companies to submit bids for the construction of the Laropi Bridge," Ssempebwa said.
"After evaluating the bids, we shall proceed to identify a competent contractor to undertake the works," he added.
Ssempebwa said the bridge remains government's long-term solution to recurring disruptions at the Laropi Ferry crossing, which serves thousands of travellers moving between Moyo and Adjumani districts.
"The ferry continues to provide an important service, but our long-term programme is to eliminate these temporary inconveniences by constructing the Laropi Bridge. Once completed, the bridge will provide a permanent and reliable crossing over the River Nile," he said.
The proposed Laropi Bridge is expected to span about one kilometre across the River Nile and will be constructed alongside the upgrading of the 39.3-kilometre Laropi–Moyo–Afoji road.
The project is being implemented under a design-and-build arrangement, where the successful contractor will be responsible for both designing and constructing the infrastructure.
The development is expected to ease transport challenges in the Ma’di Sub-region, where the Laropi Ferry remains a critical link for trade, passenger movement, humanitarian operations and access to services between West Nile and other parts of the country.
The latest ferry breakdown occurred after engineers conducted routine maintenance on Friday between midday and 5pm.
Although the vessel briefly resumed operations after the exercise, it later developed a mechanical fault at about 9pm, forcing authorities to suspend services.
As the bridge project moves to the bidding stage, residents and leaders in Moyo and Adjumani districts are hoping the procurement process will be concluded quickly and construction will begin, ending years of dependence on a ferry whose frequent breakdowns continue to disrupt movement across the River Nile.