Gen Katumba Wamala applauds outgoing Japanese envoy

Outlining some of the achievements Uganda has registered during his tenure, the minister said the envoy secured funds for the procurement of road unit equipment for all the districts.

INFRASTRUCTURE   DIPLOMACY

KAMPALA - Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala has applauded the outgoing Japanese envoy to Uganda, Kazuaki Kameda, who he said has helped the ministry of works and transport to secure funds from his government for the implementation of remarkable projects.  

He said during the envoy's four-year tenure, Uganda had realized big projects including the Nile Bridge, a cable suspension bridge across River Nile at Njeru in Jinja, which, according to the minister, will always make Uganda remember the linkage between Uganda and Japan.

Outlining some of the achievements Uganda has registered during his tenure, the minister said the envoy secured funds for the procurement of road unit equipment for all the districts, construction of the Kampala Flyover, which is still ongoing and for the establishment of a training school for road equipment operators in Luwero district. 

"You have been so helpful to all our projects, many times physically monitoring their implementation, we hope the incoming ambassador will as well be helpful and easy to work with like you," the minister stated.

The outgoing Japanese ambassador to Uganda, Kazuaki Kameda (L) admires a gift handed to him by Gen. Katumba Wamala (second right) as the Permanent Secretary, Waiswa Bageya(C) looks on. Right is the Samson Bagonza, the ministry's engineer in chief. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)


Gen. Katumba said this at a ‘simple' sendoff function for the envoy at his office at the ministry headquarters along Old Port Bell Road in Kampala.  

He thanked the Japanese government for the friendly relationship, which he said has enabled the accomplishment of a number of projects.

Gen. Katumba also applauded the envoy for helping Uganda secure sh14bn for the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, however, said the country was struggling to overcome the pandemic, expressing concern that Uganda was facing a big challenge dealing with the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, which he said was a serious threat especially after the country opened its borders.

According to the minister, Uganda still needs support to contain the second wave of the pandemic and appealed for further support from Japan.

L-R: Waiswa Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Kazuaki Kameda, outgoing Japanese ambassador to Uganda, Samson Bagonza, the engineer in chief and Gen. Katumba Wamala (R), the minister of works pose for a group photo after a brief sendoff ceremony for Kameda who completed four years in Uganda, October 12, 2020. (Photo by Eddie Ssejjoba)


Ambassador Kameda told the minister that he was retiring from his diplomatic work but a happy man since most of the projects he steered had either been accomplished or works were still going on smoothly, including the training school in Luwero. 

He said his successor, Fukuzawa would be arriving in the country towards the end of October and had wide experience in the private sector, having worked with Sumitomo Corporation Company for over 40 years.

 He said Fukuzawa also worked in Nairobi, Kenya in the early 1990s where he used to supervise projects in Uganda and often visited Entebbe International Airport, which he said was ‘good news for the ministry of works'.

The meeting was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Waiswa Bageya and the engineer in chief, Samson Bagonza.