Your Excellency,
I am Bernard Mbayo, Speaker of Jinja City Council, and a member of the National Executive of the Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU), representing Urban Local Governments in South, Eastern Uganda.
As a Councilor representing Jinja South, West to Jinja City Council and a member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), I am writing to bring to your attention pressing concerns affecting Jinja City's business community and residents.
Having served as a local leader in Jinja City for 15 years, born and raised here, I have witnessed firsthand the challenges hindering our city’s growth.
I am compelled to share my insights with you, hoping that your administration will take affirmative action to address these issues.
I am writing to you, Mr President, cognizant of the fact that you are the sworn President and constitutionally the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MOFPED) and therefore the Budget holder in Uganda.
Let me start with Jinja City's road network, and despite being one of the best-planned cities in East and Central Africa, it is in a deplorable state.As a former Municipality, we had 213km of roads, mostly constructed in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
These roads have outlived their lifespan and need urgent reconstruction. As a city, we now have 516km of roads to look after. No City Council in Uganda comes anywhere close to this number of kilometers.
The World Bank and Government of Uganda-funded USMID project has been instrumental, but the progress is slow, with only 3km of roads upgraded on average every 2-3 years. We would require over 200 years to resolve the issue at this rate.
I would like to propose the following ideas for your consideration:
Expedite UCIMID Program: Your personal intervention to expedite the planning and execution of the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development program (UCIMID) would be beneficial. This program aims to focus on direct infrastructural development in Uganda's 10 newly created cities.
Urgently take steps to reconstruct the Jinja-Budondo-Mbulamuti-Kamuli Road: Government should expedite the reconstruction of the 127km Jinja-Budondo-Mbulamuti-Kamuli road, which would provide an additional 20km of city roads. I have personally seen a letter by you, Mr. President, to the then Executive Director UNRA, directing her to ensure this is handled expeditiously. The most recent documents to this effect speak of 10km. Our People have waited too long for this road and the time to do something is now.
Address Industrial Road Needs: The 9.8km Walukuba/Masese road serving industries like Nile Agro Industries Ltd, Engano Millers (former Grain Milling), MMI Steel Ltd, Sunbelt Industries, Keshwala Group, Madhvani Steel Ltd, Bidco Uganda Ltd, Aluminum Giant Ltd, Nilus Tobacco factory Ltd, Busoga forestry Ltd, Maganjo Millers Ltd and Abyssinia Steel Uganda Ltd and others, is in dire need of repair.
Paradoxically these industries /companies contribute significantly to the central government and local revenue, and employ thousands of Ugandans, bringing about 350-400MUSD as revenue to the national treasury by way of taxes and local revenue needed for service delivery. This sounds like some ungrateful farmer who milks daily but is not ready or willing to give the cow hay or other feeds to sustain the steady flow of milk.
Collaboration with Colas Uganda Ltd: This company came to us offering to conduct a feasibility study on our roads to determine the extent of works needed and costs involved. They plan to fund the feasibility study, yet look for a funder to help us do 200km in two financial years, with a sovereign guarantee of Government of the Republic of Uganda. The process of signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement has moved too slow, Mr President.
Support for local Initiatives: Jinja City Council has taken steps to retain direct investment. Using a part of our 10bn locally raised revenue, we have purchased a brand-new caterpillar grader and compactor from Mantrac Uganda Limited. We believe that with your support, we can create a more robust road maintenance unit capable of handling the above-mentioned number of kilometers of roads.
Additionally, I would like to bring to your attention the following concerns: Environmental Concerns: some factories established on Lake Victoria's shores and river banks are contaminating fish breeding grounds. There is a factory believed to be that of cement under construction near the Children's Rehabilitation Prison (Bugungu) in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District, which poses a significant risk to the wellbeing of Lake Victoria and River Nile. As Chief Executive of this country, please get your office involved before it’s too late.
Mr. President, your administration can not afford to leave such big decisions to money thirsty individuals in Government departments that seem to have absolutely no consideration of the environment of this country.
Youth Unemployment: Lack of vocational skills has led to youth unemployment in Jinja City. The city leadership has granted an additional 15-20 acres of land to the State House-run Regional Presidential Skilling Initiative at Nakabango to address this issue. My prayer is that with increased intake, at this skilling center, priority must be given to our youths in Mafubira, Walukuba/Masese, Makeke and any other parts of the city.
However, signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), for this land, between Jinja City Council and your office remains undone.
ICT Development: Nine Plus One Group, a Ugandan ICT solutions company focused on education, is making big moves in the local tech scene. They are developing an ICT park next to the Presidential Skilling Hub at Nakabango in Jinja City and setting up an assembly line for Acer devices. Acer is the world’s fifth largest producer of computer hardware.
This is going to be the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a city government, we are in the process of allocating 10 acres of land for this very important project.
Your Excellency, I would like to thank your personal contribution of $2.5 million towards project whose pace of implementation is very slow and beginning to worry the local leadership.
It’s also worth noting that this project is masterminded by Mr. David Magezi who was born and raised in Jinja City
Mr President, Jinja once the main industrial hub of Uganda has now transformed into a Tourism City after losing the latter status to Kampala. As a City Government, we struggled to add value to the Source of the River Nile, to increase visitor experience at that world heritage site. I want sincerely to appreciate and thank the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities for allocating Shs15 billion to us to develop some much-needed infrastructure here. Excel Construction Limited, a Member of the Madhvani Group Limited undertook this delicate job, and am happy to note that all is going as planned.
A recent impromptu visit by the Deputy Inspector General of Government Mrs. Ann Muhairwe and her team to this project, proved so I would also like to highlight the significance of Jinja City and Njeru Municipality as sister local governments hosting the hydro power stations that supply the nation with electricity.
Many years ago, Njeru was a metropolitan area of Jinja Municipality, that benefitted a lot from our power to plan our area. This explains why it was referred to as Jinja-Njeru Area. While we receive some royalties, I implore you to consider affirmative action through policy formulation to ensure that Jinja City and Njeru benefit in a special way, similar to Hoima's benefits due to the oil factor.
My suggestion is that UECDL must do all it can to provide free street lighting to the people of these two local governments. Mr. President, solar is a failed project in Uganda in my personal opinion and experience. This would be a fitting recognition of the crucial role our cities play in powering the nation.
Your Excellency, Jinja City is gearing up for progress with significant projects on the horizon, including Makerere University's plan to establish a fully-fledged University at Budondo (former Budondo sub county headquarters).Engagements remain ongoing and Makerere University leadership has agreed to facilitate all the legal processes leading to the allocation of 52 acres of Council land for this strategic project that will add value to the City and Busoga as a whole.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to the First Deputy Prime Minister and EAC Affairs Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and former Minister Hon Daudi Migereko for their continued constructive engagement with the investors. Their support has been instrumental in fostering a positive environment for investment in Jinja City.
I would like to commend the efforts of the Hon. Francis Mwebasa (Minister for Trade and Industry), and the Hon. David Bahati, (State Minister for Trade), for their recent efforts to travel to Jinja City to listen to our esteemed investors.
In a special way I would also like to recognize and appreciate my line Minister Hon Raphael Magyezi, the Permanent Secretary Mr. Ben Kumumanya for their continued guidance, support in ensuring that Jinja City has an experienced, professional and corrupt-free accounting officer who understands the vision and mission of the City and Uganda as a country.
Also, worth mentioning is the Minister for the Presidency Hon Milly Babirye Babalanda for her continuous guidance with the Jinja City leadership.
Your Excellency, the Obwakyabazinga Bwa Busoga (OBB) under the able leadership of the Kyabazinga HRH William Wilberforce K. Nadiope Gabula IV is a uniting factor which should always be involved in ensuring a forward movement in Jinja City as the regional capital.
Conclusively, as an opposition FDC, I do not know how to advise you on what an improved infrastructure can do to your party but as a leader, I stand firm saying it facilitates business operations and attract investors but also create jobs, boost revenue which in turn enhances service delivery to the citizenry.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours Sincerely,
Bernard Mbayo, Speaker, Jinja City Council