📷 Govt procures road equipment worth sh34.6b for 14 new districts

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KAMPALA - The Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, has handed over road equipment to fourteen new districts with an appeal to use them for the intended purpose. 

She said the roads facilitate the movement of people, goods, labour, resources, and products especially in rural communities to create market opportunities for both consumers and producers.

The road equipment cost sh34.6b and included a motor grader and a wheel loader, which were procured using funds provided by the Government of Uganda.

The road equipment cost sh34.6b and included a motor grader and a wheel loader, which were procured using funds provided by the Government of Uganda. (All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba)

However, the ministry needs extra sh30b to buy additional equipment to make it a complete road unit before the districts can utilize them.

The missing equipment includes a vibro roller, two dump trucks, and a water bowser for each of the districts.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at the works ministry head offices along Old Port Bell Road in Kampala, the Prime Minister said that Uganda’s national road network currently stands at 159,364 km of which about 138,142 km representing 86.9% is located within the district, urban and Community Access Road (DUCAR) network.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said that Uganda’s national road network currently stands at 159,364 km of which about 138,142 km representing 86.9% is located within the district, urban and Community Access Road (DUCAR) network.

The function was attended by Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers, area Members of Parliament, and legislators on the Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament.

The districts that benefitted from the consignment included Bugweri, Kalaki, Kapelabyong, Kalenga, Kassanda, Kitagwenda, and Kazo. 

Others are Kwania, Kikuube, Madi-Okollo, Nabilatuk, Obongi, Rwampara and Terego.

The minister for works and transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, regretted that due to lack of funds, they had not been able to give a complete unit but said they remained hopeful that the balance of sh30b for vibro roller, two dump trucks, and one water browser would be secured.

The function was attended by state ministers, Fred Byamukama (works) and Obiga Kania, ministry of works and local government officials.

“The tremendous efforts to improve road infrastructure in the country are aimed at boosting trade, business, and overall human development,” she explained, adding that despite the strides so far made in the provision of road infrastructure, a ‘sizeable percentage of Uganda’s roads infrastructure is in a poor state’.

Stephen Aseera, Buhaguzi East MP in Kikuube district talks to journalists after his district got road equipment.

She however said despite the Government efforts, ‘there is a lot more to be done’.

“For example, only 69% of the district roads and 50% of the urban roads are in fair to good condition, with some areas not covered by any form of connectivity and this is especially true for the new districts,” she explained.

According to the Premier, the condition had led to inaccessibility to social economic services.

State minister for works Fred Byamukama remarks.

“Roads serve as lifelines, connecting people to markets, schools, healthcare facilities, and other essential services. They facilitate trade, tourism, and investment, driving sustainable development and creating opportunities for all,” she said.

The Prime Minister explained that in June 2014, President Yoweri Museveni decided to re-equip all districts with more robust equipment of 1,151 pieces of road equipment that were acquired from Japan in 2017.

The provision, she said, covered all 121 district local governments, Government agencies such as the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), the National Enterprises Corporation (NEC) and the Ministry’s Force Account as well as the Zonal Centers.

Nabbanja assured the districts that her office would ensure that the missing equipment would be provided in due course.

However, the creation of new 14 districts between 2017 and 2019 created a gap after the mother districts declined to share the equipment with the new districts.

Nabbanja assured the districts that her office would ensure that the missing equipment would be provided in due course.

The minister for works and transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala, regretted that due to lack of funds, they had not been able to give a complete unit but said they remained hopeful that the balance of sh30b for vibro roller, two dump trucks, and one water browser would be secured.

“Because it will not make sense for the districts to have these machines without this remaining equipment,” he explained.

He asked the districts to utilize the sh1b that was released to all the districts in the last financial year quarter and other funds from the Road Fund to buy the necessary accessories including fuel.

Gen. Katumba, however, warned districts against diverting the equipment to private use and use of adulterated fuel, which he said could damage the equipment.

He assured the benefiting districts that the supplier, Victoria Equipment Limited, had given a one-year warranty and was willing to travel to the site to provide the required repairs.

Commenting about the status of Karuma Bridge in Northern Uganda, Gen. Katumba told journalists that they were currently doing remedial works but were in the final stage of doing a full redesigning.

PM Nabbanja flags off the road equipment to respective districts.

“Because the bridge has outlived its usefulness, it was constructed in 1963, and because of the volume of traffic, we shall do some remedial works to enable people to use it”.

He explained that the ministry has made a list of 130 bridges throughout the country that need to be worked on once they get the funds.

He said they needed to replace some bridges and crossings with more resilient ones that can withstand the new environmental challenges. 

He asked the CAOs to only allow trained personnel to operate the machines and give them some allowances so that the equipment is not wasted.

Below is a picture highlight as pm Nabbanja handed over road equipment to fourteen new districts 

All Photos by Eddie Ssejjoba;

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