Kampala-Entebbe highway on track, Chinese want to build railway line

 

President Yoweri Musevenit yesterday met the Chairman and President of China Communications Construction Group Chen Fenjian. The firm is responsible for the construction of the Entebbe-Kampala Highway which will link the town of Entebbe in Wakiso District to the city of Kampala.

 

Chen Fenjian assured Museveni that the project  that started in November 2012, will be completed on time in 2016. He revealed that his group is also interested in cement production in Karamoja sub-region, the construction of the railway lines in Uganda and the building of Kampala to Jinja high way.

 

President Museveni said in order for investors to compete favourably on the market, government has prioritized infrastructure development such as electricity, construction of roads, railway lines and ICT that greatly impact on the cost of doing business.

 

"You cannot compete when you don't have enough electricity, the main purpose is to manufacture products that are competitive in the market in terms of price and quality" he told his guest.

 

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The construction of the highway which is already underway is estimated to cost US$476 million (Shs1.19 trillion). Of this, US$350 million (Shs 875 billion) is a loan from the Exim Bank of China at 2% annual interest. The remaining US$176 million (Shs 315 billion) will be provided by the Government of Uganda. Government will provide another US$40 million (Shs 100billion) to compensate land owners along the route of the highway

 

The highway will start at Abayita Ababiri, on the existing Kampala-Entebbe Road, go through Ssisa, Kabojja, and end at Busega, where it will join the Kampala Northern Bypass Highway, a distance of approximately 37.23 kilometres (23.13 mi).

 

Another 14.13 kilometres (8.78 mi) of highway will connect Munyonyo on the northern shores of Lake Victoria with the Highway at Kajjansi.

 

The entire highway will be a four-lane, dual carriage expressway, with limited access.

 

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