As Uganda prepares to host the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and the Group of 77 Chambers of Commerce and Industry (G77) conference next year, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is set to undertake the rehabilitation and upgrade of 15 kilometers of roads to ensure the success of these significant diplomatic and political events.
Next year, the country will host the Non-Aligned Summit, which is expected to have a positive impact on the nation’s tourism and diplomatic sectors. While addressing journalists at Hotel African in Kampala Thursday, the KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, said that the authority has received Shillings 78 billion from the central government for development in the KCCA budget.
She said that the money would be used to fix the roads leading to Speke Resort Munyonyo, where the summits will take place.
She explained that the rehabilitation efforts will prioritize areas prone to flooding, such as Bunga-Soya and Auto Spa along the Gaba road leading to Munyonyo. The others are Mukwano Road (1 kilometer) and Press House Road (0.5 kilometers). These roads will not only be rehabilitated but also see the installation of street lights, road markings, and other necessary improvements.
Other roads slated for attention are Gaba Road (9 kilometers) with major drainage work at Bunga-Soya crossing, Cape Road (2.8 kilometers), and Salaama Road (8.15 kilometers). KCCA aims to ensure that these roads are in optimal condition for motorists during the time of the summit, with long-term plans for their maintenance.
In addition to these, other roads such as Mobutu Road (1 kilometer), Price Badru Kakungulu Road, UCB Rise (0.5 kilometers) for light rehabilitation, Sseriiso Road, and Tank Hill Road will be upgraded to a paved standard. Kisaka assured that road works will be carried out around the clock to minimize inconvenience to road users during this period.
Kisaka also made it clear that KCCA intends to take action to evict street children and streamline the operations of Boda Boda riders in the city to address public nuisances caused by riders. Furthermore, she announced that KCCA is planning to evict street vendors from the central business district and dismantle illegal structures.
In April of this year, Jim Spire Ssentongo, an Associate Professor of Ethics and Identity Studies at Uganda Martyrs University and a cartoonist, organized an online exhibition to showcase the potholed roads in Kampala, which garnered significant attention among Ugandans.
At the time, Kisaka explained that many roads in Kampala had exceeded their expected lifespan, and the authority was financially constrained to address the issues. Subsequently, President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered the immediate release of 6 billion Shillings for pothole repairs.
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