As preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November intensifies, Entebbe municipality is not being left out.
How far have you gone with the beatification of Entebbe-Kampala corridors?
Beautiful flowers and trees have been planted along the corridor, making the place look nice. There are only mature trees left in the road reserves, like the jackfruit tree planted by the Vice-President, Prof Gilbert Bukenya, in 1963, when he was a student at St Mary’s Kisubi. Illegal structures have been cleared in the reserves. We need other people to plant more trees for a carbon-free CHOGM.
How has the exercise helped people?
It has been timely as the community faces a problem of poverty. Valley Technical Services has employed people of various ages. They slash, dig and participate in the planting of grass and flowers. The exercise has provided jobs for women and men.
What is the state of the roads in your area as we head for CHOGM?
Many roads which were in a sorry state are now under repair. Some of these include Kampala Road — 3km, Berkley Road — 1.4km, Kitoro — 1km, Tamale Ssali — 0.7 km, Dr Lubega 1 — 0.9km, Mugwanya — 0.3km and Circular Road — 0.3 km.
Which companies were contracted?
Dott Services and Spencon. The companies are also required to construct walkways and drainages.
People worry that shoddy work may be done. Are the companies doing good work?
I am not so conversant in that area but I am sure the engineers are watching.
What arrangements have you made to keep the Mayor’s Garden and Children’s Park clean?
It is true people are making these places dirty by throwing rubbish anyhow. This financial year, sh240m was passed in the budget for the fencing of both the Mayor’s Garden and the Children’s Park.
What happened to the street lights in Entebbe?
Some of them were faulty, but there are also people who vandalise them. As CHOGM approaches, we will repair the streetlights along Kampala Road, Muzinga Square and the Mayor’s Garden.
We also plan to provide streetlights where there were none, for example on Berkley, Lugard Avenue and Mpigi roads. We need lights to make the place attractive. We also intend to acquire refuse skips at a cost of sh120m to fight the problem of garbage.
Who is funding all these projects?
The central government has provided funds for the road repairs, the beautification of Entebbe- Kampala and the construction of walkways. However, the council has made provisions for locally funded CHOGM-related projects like repair of toilets, construction of Manyago, Kintu and Danstan Nsubuga roads
What plans do you have for structures in the road reserve?
All of them have been destroyed and traders have been sent off from these reserves. Even people who had wall perimeters in the reserves had to lose them. This area will only have trees and flowers.
Why are there still unsightly buildings which are not properly painted?
We have deliberately stayed action against owners who have not painted their premises because of the ongoing road works. It raises a lot of dust, which will immediately stain the painted walls.
Residents are complaining about the council’s delay to construct Kitoro Market. Many have shown fear of a possible fire outbreak if the food vendors continue working in the UTODA Park. What are you doing about this?
We are still mobilising funds. Meanwhile, the council has set aside sh70m this financial year to start work on the market.
Residents should remain assured that the plot has never been sold off as opportunists tell them. Once funds are available the market project will kick off.
Entebbe revamps for CHOGM
