Probe Northern Bypass delays
Sep 18, 2008
The completion of the Northern Bypass is nearly two years behind schedule. Work on the 21km road, which is planned to skirt the northern suburbs of Kampala, started in May 2004 and the planned completion date was November 2006.
The completion of the Northern Bypass is nearly two years behind schedule. Work on the 21km road, which is planned to skirt the northern suburbs of Kampala, started in May 2004 and the planned completion date was November 2006.
Extensions have come and gone and still the road is not open for use. Residents of Bweyogerere have suffered the inconvenience of dust and lost income for the last four years with no end in sight.
There is no clear explanation as why this situation abounds either from the works ministry or the contractors, Salini.
The Uganda National Road Authority has come out to say because of the delays on the project, it is almost certain the penalty clause against the contractors will be invoked.
The completion of the Northern Bypass can be expected to reduce or eliminate the sight of heavy trucks in transit through the central business district. It is hoped this will ease the traffic situation in Kampala.
It is a sad testament of our society that such a major works can take so long to complete. To the public, there seems to be a lack of urgency to complete this project. And this is only a 21km road. What will happen to the one trillion shillings budgeted for roads this year? Will Uganda turn into a mess of incomplete road sites — chokingly dusty during the dry season and a muddy morass during the rainy season?
What is holding it back? Who is responsible? Parliament should take up the issue.
Though this might not be as juicy as the NSSF probe, MPs owe to the people they represent, many of whom have lost their livelihoods, suffered dust-related health problems or even endured the inconvenience of project-related diversions , to get to the bottom of this enigma and see that it is sorted out.
Extensions have come and gone and still the road is not open for use. Residents of Bweyogerere have suffered the inconvenience of dust and lost income for the last four years with no end in sight.
There is no clear explanation as why this situation abounds either from the works ministry or the contractors, Salini.
The Uganda National Road Authority has come out to say because of the delays on the project, it is almost certain the penalty clause against the contractors will be invoked.
The completion of the Northern Bypass can be expected to reduce or eliminate the sight of heavy trucks in transit through the central business district. It is hoped this will ease the traffic situation in Kampala.
It is a sad testament of our society that such a major works can take so long to complete. To the public, there seems to be a lack of urgency to complete this project. And this is only a 21km road. What will happen to the one trillion shillings budgeted for roads this year? Will Uganda turn into a mess of incomplete road sites — chokingly dusty during the dry season and a muddy morass during the rainy season?
What is holding it back? Who is responsible? Parliament should take up the issue.
Though this might not be as juicy as the NSSF probe, MPs owe to the people they represent, many of whom have lost their livelihoods, suffered dust-related health problems or even endured the inconvenience of project-related diversions , to get to the bottom of this enigma and see that it is sorted out.