Government prioritizes 10 oil Roads

Government will this financial year continue to prioritise construction of roads across the country, but special emphasis will be allocated networks in the Albertine region.

Ten roads including Hoima - Butiaba - Wanseko; Masindi - Biiso; Masindi - Bugungu via Murchison Falls; Kaseeta - Lweera via Bugoma Forest; Hohwa - Nyairongo - Kyarusesa will be upgragded.

Others are Wanseko - Bugungu; Buhimba - Nyarweyo - Kakindo - Kakumiro - Mubende; Lusalira - Kaibamba- Nkonge- Sembabule; Kyotera - Rakai and Kabale- Kiziramfumbi.

The roads will be constructed in support to commercial production of oil by 2020. Two (2) bridges — Tangi and Emmi Bridges — will also be built.

Reading the 2017/18 budget finance minister, Matia Kasaijja, said he had allocated sh3,410b for the continued development of national road infrastructure, including ferries and bridges.

He said government would also increase the maintenance of both the paved and unpaved road networks. Road equipment units worth $147m (sh576b) have been procured for distribution to all districts and some have arrived in the country.

Some of this equipment will go to regional maintenance workshops. The minister said he had allocated sh10b specifically for the maintenance of these units. Under the Uganda Road Fund he allocated sh413b for road maintenance across the country.

Railway Transport

On railway transport, he said acquisition of the Right of Way for the Malaba - Kampala Standard Gauge Railway project was progressing.

Negotiations to conclude the financing for the construction of the SGR Project were also underway. Talks with the Kenya Government to ensure the synchronization of the construction of the Kampala - Malaba SGR section with the Naivasha - Kisumu- Malaba one were also on-going.

He said in view of the "poor performance" of the Rift Valley Railways concession, both Kenya and Uganda were terminating the agreement. Management of the Uganda railway will revert to the Uganda Railways Corporation (URC).