The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA has procured new equipment for routine and periodical maintenance of city roads.
The equipment purchased includes five jumper compactors, five asphalt pavement cutters, three pedestrian rollers, five tractors with trailers and a road marking machine which is still in transit. The India–made equipment was supplied by ENGSOL engineering solutions.
The equipment valued at 1.5 billion Shillings was purchased under the second batch of the 2018/2019 budget obtained from the Uganda Road Fund. Similar equipment was bought during the 2012/2013 financial year and distributed to different divisions of Kampala City.
KCCA acting Executive Director Eng. Andrew Kitaka is optimistic that the equipment will boost the capacity of KCCA in maintaining roads, some of which are covered in potholes, slowing down traffic and contributing to road carnage.
According to Kayiwa Lawrence, an Engineer at ENGSOL, the tractors are agriculture machines that can still do a good job in works. He says they consume 1.5 litres of diesel per five kilometres making them cost-effective.
The Executive Director of the Uganda Road Fund Michael Odongo says that the roads in Kampala are at a high risk of depreciation due to a large number of vehicles and as such, require routine and periodic maintenance in order to guarantee the safety of road users.
He adds that without proper maintenance, congestion in the city could increase due to potholes and pollution.
Odongo, however, decried the budget cut, suffered by the Roads Fund from 545 billion to 445 billion Shillings this financial year. He said the cut affects their capacity to maintain roads in Uganda.
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