KAMPALA – The state of Kampala roads is soon changing as Kampala Capital City Authority – KCCA, the legal entity responsible for the operations of the capital city is set to commence the construction of all the roads come February 2023.
This comes after the Government acquired $288 million for Kampala roads, which will cover 69.7km spread out in the five divisions. Now, the roads will be wider, including drainages, walkways, and street lights.
Giving end-of-year 2022 remarks, KCCA Executive Director, Ms. Dorothy Kisaka, noted that the city has 2,100 km of roads, of which only 600 km are paved or tarmacked but 1,500 km are not paved. Call them gravel.
“Of the paved network, 360km in Kampala are over 35 years old and have been patched and repaired too many times. Experts say that, on average, a good paved road is expected to last 15 – 20 years before reconstruction. The 360km road network needs overhauling, they have outlived their lifetime.”
This website understands that reconstruction, overhauling and road upgrading needs will be done in phases. Accordingly, a strategy of overhauling at least 50km every year would require approximately UGX 375 billion per year to be able to redeem the dead roads.
That way, Ms. Kisaka says they can be sure that in seven years, the old roads will be done away with.
She says that they need an average of UGX 100 billion per year to maintain the roads in a motorable condition, including management of street lights, traffic lights, road safety, and walkways unlike the Shs 26 billion that they are given today.
Ms. Kisaka blamed the increased car load on roads for the increased wear and tear.
On the water floods, she said, “The poor waste disposal practices overstrain our roads. Residents throw polythene and organic food into drainages, and they get blocked. The drainages are not wide enough to carry large volumes of rainwater. Construction in wetlands ruined waterways.”
Discussion about this post