Govt using road development to turn West Nile into a regional trade hub

For decades, Africa's Upper Nile Valley has been clouded in a dark history of war, poverty, and conflict. The Upper Nile Valley stretches from the West Nile region of Uganda, starting at Pakwach, through all eight districts of the sub-region; Adjumani, Arua, Koboko , Maracha, Moyo, Nebbi, Yumbe, and Zombo. 

The Valley then connects to South Sudan through several corners of the West Nile, to the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The West Nile sub-region has since the overthrow of Idi Amin's government, been shrouded in conflict including indiscriminate killings between post-Amin government soldiers and multiple armed rebel groups that operated in the West Nile. 

Later, the region was for many years bogged down by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) war, leaving behind a legacy of suffering in Greater northern Uganda including the West Nile Region.

Across the borders, war has raged on in DR Congo, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. 

The conflicts in these neighboring countries have caused a major refugee crisis in Uganda, which is now the country with the largest number of refugees in Africa and the third highest in the world. 

Conflict notwithstanding, the government has seen the opportunity, having realized the immense potential that the Greater North and the West Nile in particular have. It is against this background that the government has prioritized the development of the region. 

Arua, the largest district in the West Nile region is itself access to three countries of DR Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. Because of this access, the district has become a business hub, bringing together traders from all these countries coming to buy and sell their commodities. To make this trade more lucrative and easier to conduct, the NRM has invested heavily in the road and bridge network in the district and the entire region. 

To create access and improve traffic flow from the rest of the country into the West Nile. The government, funded the rehabilitation of the Pakwach-Nebbi Road to the tune of Shs28 billion, all raised by the government. This 30-km road starts in Pakwach through to Nebbi Town and the works involved rehabilitating the existing paved road to improve traffic flow to the West Nile sub-region.  

This project commenced in January 2015 and was completed on 31 July 2016. The road is now under full use by the public.

As promised in the 2016 Manifesto, the government also completed the 94-km Vurra - Oraba road, rehabilitated the Pakwach - Nebbi 54 km, while funds have been committed and procurement completed for the 105-km Koboko - Yumbe - Moyo road. 

In 2017, the government procured 1,151 pieces of road construction equipment worth USD 155 Million from Japan. These included motor graders, wheel loaders, excavators, bulldozers, wheeled backhoe loaders, vibro rollers, pneumatic rollers, pedestrians' rollers. Low bed tractors, water bowsers, self-loading tracks, mobile workshops, and bitumen distributers.

Each district was given a road unit consisting of a motor grader, wheel loader, two dump trucks, and a water bowser. 

Other beneficiaries included UNRA, KCCA, NEC, and the Ministry of Works and transport.

The government intends to procure additional road construction equipment for the benefit of 13 districts which were created between 2018 and 2019. The districts include; Madi-Okollo. Each district will get a road unit consisting of a motor grader, wheel loader, two dump trucks, and a water bowser by 2022. 

Government plans to refurbish 645 units of serviceable equipment imported from China in 2012 and redistribute it among Municipal Councils and new Cities by 2022. Further, Government plans to procure road equipment for tarmacking roads for allocation to five big Municipal Councils. 

Under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) Program, the government rehabilitated the Enyau Road and Idi Amin Road, reconstructed the Lemerijoa road, constructed Arua Taxi Park, and rehabilitated the School Road and Adroa Road in Arua District. 

USMID was a USD 150 million World funded Program. 

The Program Development Objective was to enhance the institutional performance of the 14 program Municipalities to improve urban service delivery. 

The program Municipalities include Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Moroto, Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal, and Hoima. The program became effective on 4 September 2013 and came to and ended December 31, 2018. 

The government will procure additional road construction equipment for the benefit of new districts that were created between 2018 and 2019. The districts in West Nile include; Obongi, Madi Okollo, and Terego. 

To further consolidate the intention of turning the West Nile into a trade hub for the region, the NRM government will continue to build infrastructure. In the plans already, the government has outlined the following as projects to embark on in District, Urban and Community Access roads; 

The Government will procure additional road construction equipment for the benefit of 13 districts which were created between 2018 and 2019. The districts include; Madi-Okollo. Each district will get a road unit consisting of a motor grader, wheel loader, two dump trucks, and a water bowser by 2022. Government plans to refurbish 645 units of serviceable equipment imported from China in 2012 and redistribute it among Municipal Councils and new Cities by 2022. Further, Government plans to procure road equipment for tarmacking roads for allocation to five big Municipal Councils.