Kampala to have more signalised junctions

The Japanese government is to support the government of Uganda in the installation city junctions which will help improve on traffic follow in the city, the finance, planning and economic development minister Matia Kasaija has said.

During the grant agreement between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the government, the two governments agreed that they will be developments in the city which will help improve on traffic follow.

The grant aims to make a detailed design for the project whose component include the installation of traffic control system equipment and ICT equipment as well as signalization of junctions.

Kasaija explained, that like many different cities, the problem of traffic jam has increased in the city and many people lose time and money while in the traffic jam.

A traffic office guiding traffic along Kampala Road. Photo by Wilfred Sanya

"It is costly time consuming and expensive, as the road user spends more time in a traffic jam, time which will have otherwise be spent on productive businesses," Kasaija explained.   

The executive senior vice president of JICA, Kazuhhiko Koshikawa, explained that under the project a Traffic control centre will be constructed and junctions will be signalized and this will reduce on the hours one spends in a jam.

"The project will contribute to traffic flow improvement and sustainable development in the city where about 10% of the national population is living," Koshikawa said.

He said the project will reduce severe traffic congestion, which is one of the urgent issues of the city as laid out in the Second Development Plan.

Works are expected to start at the end of the year.