4 major roads to be tarmacked next year

Pakwach-Nebbi, Nebbi-Arua, Busunju-Kiboga and Kiboga-Hoima roads will be tarmacked, beginning early next year, reports Hamis Kaheru. The Government yesterday signed contracts with four consultancy firms to supervise the work on the roads. The acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Lawrence Lutaaya, signed on behalf of the Government. The Minister of Works, Housing and transport, John Nasasira, said the contract was the biggest road project in the history of Uganda. He said the project, covering 227kms of roads, is financed under a $100m (sh17b) credit from the World Bank. The loan agreement, signed in November last year, has a grace period of 10 years and will be settled in 40 years. Only 0.75% of the original amount will be added to cover administrative fees. "These four contracts on two main roads are going to open up many parts of the country, especially West Nile and Bunyoro regions. This is the first time Banyoro are getting a good road and this is very crucial for the development of the region," Nasasira said. He said the Movement government should be commended because Bunyoro Kingdom had existed for decades without a good road. "If the roads were there (in Bunyoro) and were damaged, then they would be right to say that this government is useless," the minister said, adding that Banyoro have never accepted that the Kafu-Karuma road is in their area. "They say that is Acholiland," he said. He said bids for consructing the four roads had been evaluated and the contracts will be signed next month. Work is expected to start within a month after the signing of the contracts, he said. He said the Pakwach-Arua and Kiboga-Hoima roads will take three years, while Busunju-Kiboga and Pakwach-Nebbi roads will take two-and-a-half years. Nasasira said during the 70 years of colonial rule, Uganda got only 1,500kms of good roads. Ends.