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Mityana-Mubende contractor given March 2027 deadline to complete road works
“The contractor has played hide and seek for long! This must stop, and work is expeditiously done!” the minister stressed.
Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama (center) during his tour of the project works on Friday, June 12. (Courtesy photo)ing.
By: Charles Etukuri, Journalist @New Vision
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Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama has directed the Serbian contractor EnergoProjekt to ensure the Mityana–Mubende Road is completed by March 2027 or face possible termination of his contract.
The Minister issued the directive following his meeting with the company officials on Thursday, June 11, and his tour of the project works on Friday, June 12, morning.
“The contractor has played hide and seek for long! This must stop, and work is expeditiously done!” the minister stressed.
The directive, the Minister said, aligns with President Museveni's 'Kisanja No More Sleep'.
The warning also comes amid growing public anger over the condition of the strategic highway, which has become synonymous with delays, potholes, dust and traffic disruptions.
“You either work on the road and complete it by March 2027, or we can cancel your contract,” Byamukama told the contractor’s team.
He also directed the company to immediately undertake maintenance works along the entire stretch to ease the suffering of motorists.
The Mityana-Mubende road construction project, which spans 86 kilometres, began in early 2021 and was initially expected to be completed by early 2024.
However, due to financial constraints and delays, the project has faced setbacks. The construction includes widening the road, stabilising the pavement, constructing wider shoulders, improving drainage channels and culverts, and bringing the surface up to modern standards.
The warning also comes amid growing public anger over the condition of the strategic highway, which has become synonymous with delays, potholes, dust and traffic disruptions.
“You either work on the road and complete it by March 2027, or we can cancel your contract,” Byamukama told the contractor’s team.
He also directed the company to immediately undertake maintenance works along the entire stretch to ease the suffering of motorists.
The Mityana-Mubende road construction project, which spans 86 kilometres, began in early 2021 and was initially expected to be completed by early 2024.
However, due to financial constraints and delays, the project has faced setbacks. The construction includes widening the road, stabilising the pavement, constructing wider shoulders, improving drainage channels and culverts, and bringing the surface up to modern standards.
The contractor, EnergoProjekt, was awarded the contract at an initial cost of approximately sh395 billion (about $105 million).
He is also the same contractor on the Kampala-Jinja highway.
In an exclusive interview with the Weekend Vision, the minister outlined his agenda for the ministry, which includes ensuring all the old road work projects are completed before embarking on new ones.
“My number one priority is to go on and complete those projects which are stalled. We have a number of projects, the progress has not been moving on very well, we have seen them. They are supposed to be completed in two years, but now they are taking five years. We also have roads which are already dilapidated, the roads have given up, they are worn out, when you look at the Mbarara-Ibanda road, the Ntungamo-Rukungiri road, look at the Kampala-Jinja highway. We should get these roads rehabilitated and maintained,” the minister said.
He also said, “we should also ensure maintenance of all our national road network. We should maintain the tarmac, because if it deteriorates, it calls for more money to reconstruct again. I will also ensure maintenance of marrum roads. Government can never construct all the national roads into tarmac at once. We need to tarmac those ones which are available, but also maintain our marrum road. We will ensure close supervision of the districts together with the local government to ensure there is value for money, in the sh1 billion that is allocated for road works.”
Read the full interview in the Weekend Vision.
He is also the same contractor on the Kampala-Jinja highway.
In an exclusive interview with the Weekend Vision, the minister outlined his agenda for the ministry, which includes ensuring all the old road work projects are completed before embarking on new ones.
“My number one priority is to go on and complete those projects which are stalled. We have a number of projects, the progress has not been moving on very well, we have seen them. They are supposed to be completed in two years, but now they are taking five years. We also have roads which are already dilapidated, the roads have given up, they are worn out, when you look at the Mbarara-Ibanda road, the Ntungamo-Rukungiri road, look at the Kampala-Jinja highway. We should get these roads rehabilitated and maintained,” the minister said.
He also said, “we should also ensure maintenance of all our national road network. We should maintain the tarmac, because if it deteriorates, it calls for more money to reconstruct again. I will also ensure maintenance of marrum roads. Government can never construct all the national roads into tarmac at once. We need to tarmac those ones which are available, but also maintain our marrum road. We will ensure close supervision of the districts together with the local government to ensure there is value for money, in the sh1 billion that is allocated for road works.”
Read the full interview in the Weekend Vision.