Govt sets new conditions for future road projects in greater Kampala

KAMPALA - The Government has introduced a new condition for future road projects under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), requiring communities to secure at least 90% of the required right of way before roads can be considered for funding.

The new requirement means residents in Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi districts seeking new infrastructure projects will have to voluntarily provide land needed for road corridors before government commits resources to construction.

Right of way in road construction refers to the land corridor reserved for a road and related infrastructure such as drainage channels, electricity lines, utility networks, pedestrian walkways and road shoulders.

Securing this corridor before construction allows contractors to work without interruptions caused by unresolved land acquisition challenges, which have often delayed projects and increased costs.

The Minister of State for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Kabuye Kyofatogabye, announced the new requirement during the inspection of ongoing road projects under the World Bank-funded GKMA-UDP in Nansana Municipality on Thursday.

His remarks followed requests from local leaders to include additional roads in the programme.

During a meeting at Gombe Division headquarters , leaders proposed several roads for consideration, including the 8km Gombe–Kitongwa–Kiteredde Road, which connects to the Kampala–Gulu Highway, and the 8.5km Kiwebwasayi–Bujumba–Kiteredde Road.

However, Kyofatogabye cautioned that roads cannot be approved for funding unless communities first secure the required land.

“Of the roads the town clerk read out, some of them may not be worked on. I want you to understand me. That would mean skipping some areas that need roads. If you don't have a minimum of 90% of the right of way secured, a road cannot be considered. If you have not secured that threshold, don't bother me. I don't want to announce that we will work on this road, and then eight months later they have not given us the right of way,” he said.

The minister said government does not have funds set aside for compensating project-affected persons under the GKMA-UDP, urging political leaders to mobilise residents to voluntarily provide land and complete the required documentation.

“I want to hear an appeal for a road if you feel you are ready. You, the mayor, can spearhead this, supported by other leaders. We want all documentation. The consent should be there, and files should be ready. Ensure there is documentation about the same in the office of the town clerk,” he said.

Kabuye Kyofatogabye

Kyofatogabye said the approach would reduce the cost of infrastructure development by avoiding lengthy compensation processes. “I want you to know that when we are doing these roads, we don't pay anyone compensation,” he said.

He explained that government instead applies what he described as restoration, where structures affected by road expansion are removed from the road reserve and reconstructed.

“If we came here and found a perimeter wall within the reserve area measuring two to two-and-a-half metres, we translocate it,” he said.

The minister said voluntary provision of land had already helped reduce costs on several projects, citing the Kibiri–Kabuuma Road in Makindye-Ssabagabo, which is being constructed at a cost of sh26b.

He said the project would have required more than sh130b in compensation costs because of dense settlements along the corridor if residents had not provided land to ease acquisition of the right of way.

Kyofatogabye said failure to secure land has contributed to delays, increased project costs and stalled infrastructure works.

Citing the 51.4km Kampala–Entebbe Expressway, he said the project’s cost rose from an initial estimate of sh548b to about sh1.3 trillion, partly due to compensation-related expenses.

“Our roads have become expensive because of compensation, yet it is us Ugandans who use these roads. That is why we are saying: government and residents should work together.”

Kyofatogabye said most road projects are designed to take about 18 months, but delays in securing land often extend completion periods.

“If we do this, as government we believe completion time can be reduced so that we can have these roads and use them. We can complete many of the roads earmarked and even add more roads because construction costs will be significantly lower,” he said.

The minister said the land provided by residents would mainly support infrastructure such as drainage systems, electricity lines, walkways and other utilities.

He added that President Yoweri Museveni had indicated that government could seek additional financing from the World Bank to extend GKMA projects beyond the current programme period.

Launched in 2023, the GKMA-UDP is part of efforts to implement the Greater Kampala Economic Development Strategy, whose full implementation is estimated to require about $3b (about sh10.9 trillion).

The current phase is implementing about 18% of the strategy across nine entities and is funded through $608.6b (about sh2. 2 trillion), including a $518m World Bank International Development Association loan, a $48m institutional support grant and a $42m loan from the Agence Française de Développement.

The programme targets challenges affecting the metropolitan area, including traffic congestion, flooding, youth unemployment, environmental degradation and weak coordination among local governments.

Traffic congestion alone is estimated to cost the metropolitan area about 24,000 man-hours daily.

Programme progress

Nansana Municipal Town Clerk Festo Tandeka said the municipality had received sh71b over the four years of implementing the programme.

He said Lot 4, implemented by China Railway Number 18 Engineering Group, had completed all major road works and was remaining with walkways and streetlights.

“The contractors are remaining with only walkways and streetlights, so, they are likely to finish ahead of time,” Tandeka said.

He added that Winner Global Enterprise, which is implementing Lot 5, was at about 75% completion rate.

The ongoing projects include Lot 4 Nansana–Wamala–Katooke Road (4.870km) and Maganjo–Jinja Kalori Link (1.109km), as well as Lot 5 Nansana–Nabweru Road (1.66km), New Era–Nabweru–Katooke Link (2.70km), New Era–Nabweru–Lugoba Road (0.80km) and Nabweru–Kazo Central Link (1.60km).

China Railway No.18 Engineering Group employs 225 workers, with more than half recruited from project areas, while Winner Global Enterprise employs 247 workers, with 40% drawn from local communities.

Tandeka said the programme also includes construction of markets, with designs for one market already completed.

“We are working to relocate vendors, and in two months, we shall start the procurement process,” he said.

He said designs for the next phase of roads were underway, including Kungu–Buwambo Road in Gombe Division, which will connect Namulonge and Busukuma, and Nabuuma–Lubigi–Katooke Road linking to Maganjo.

Other planned roads include Katalemwa–Kirinyabigo–Kiryagonja Road connecting to Semuto in Nakaseke District.

“So we are on track, and all divisions will be covered under this programme,” Tandeka said.

Nansana Mayor Johnbosco Sserunkuuma said congestion in the Greater Kampala area is largely caused by limited connectivity and lack of alternative routes.

“Traffic jams arise because we lack adequate accessibility and alternative routes. Nansana is served by major highways such as Hoima Road and Bombo Road, so increasing the number of connecting roads is essential if we are to support urbanisation,” he said.

He urged the Government to prioritise additional links, including the Lubigi–Katooke and Kawanda–Katalemwa roads, saying they would provide alternative routes and reduce congestion on major highways.

“If the Lubigi–Katooke Road and the Kawanda–Katalemwa Roads are constructed, they will provide alternative routes and significantly reduce traffic congestion on both Hoima and Bombo Roads,” Sserunkuuma said.