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‘Let construction of the Kampala Flyover start’

Museveni flags off the Kampala Flyover project. PHOTO PPU

▶ Kampala Flyover links to:
✅ Kampala-Jinja Expressway
✅ Kibuye-Busega-Mpigi Expressway
✅ Kampala-Entebbe Expressway
✅ Kampala Northern by Pass

▶ Phase 1
✅ Junction upgrading at Shoprite & Clock Tower
✅ Road upgrading at Queensway, Entebbe, Nsambya, Mukwano & Ggaba roads
✅ Pedestrian bridges at Clock Tower, Shoprite & Kibuli
✅ Underpass at Nsambya

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kampala Flyover Construction and Road Upgrading Project (KFCRUP) will ensure Uganda plays a key role as a transit point in the regional Northern Corridor transport route.

Run under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP), the Northern Corridor is the busiest and most important transport route in East and Central Africa, providing a gateway through Kenya to the landlocked economies of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Eastern DR Congo, as well as South Sudan.

The Kampala flyover project that was launched on Wednesday by President Yoweri Museveni, will feed traffic into the Northern Corridor. All part of or linked to the Northern Corridor are the Kampala Northern Bypass, Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, the Kampala-Jinja Expressway, the Kibuye-Busega-Mpigi Expressway, the Bus Rapid Transit pilot Project and the proposed Nakasero – Northern Urban Expressway (VVIP Expressway)

“These logistical improvements will greatly contribute to Uganda’s economic development, because Kampala is a major transit point on the Northern multi-modal Corridor which links land locked neighbouring countries to the Port of Mombasa,” Museveni said at the Kampala flyover construction flag-off.

Construction of phase one of the project is set to start next month and is expected to cost Sh295 billion. Phase two will have a flyover completed at Kitgum House roundabout, connecting the first phase from Clock-Tower to the Kampala-Jinja Expressway.

UNRA ED Allen Kagina (let) shows President Museveni a plan of the project. PHOTO PPU

Museveni thanked the government of Japan through its Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) for financing the flyover project, and for supporting various sectors and projects.

JICA supported projects are the Source of the Nile Bridge which was commissioned on 17th October 2018, Project for Improvement of Gulu Municipal Council Roads in Northern Uganda, the upgrading of Atiak-Nimule Roads’ Project, the Northern Uganda Farmers’ Livelihood Improvement Project and the Interconnection of Electric Grids of the Nile Equatorial Lakes Countries’ Project.

The President thanked former Kampala Capital City Authority Executive Director, Jennifer Musisi, for working on roads within Kampala such as the Kafumbe Mukasa road. He said government would construct another fly over for Busega-Kibuye Road and expand the old road.

“The construction of modern roads has started. Earlier we were just beginning but we have now started and will not just stop there,” he said.

President Museveni said that in the future after the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway, all cargo will be transported by rail and water transport. Roads development and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), are part of the Northern Corridor projects.

“When we complete the railway, we shall insist that all cargo uses rail and water transport so that the roads do not tear,” he said.

Whereas the Uganda National Roads’ Authority will be responsible for managing the overall construction supervision because of the availability of its skilled and experienced, Engineers, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on the other hand will second key staff during construction who will, later after completion, be responsible for the operation and maintenance and may seek support from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).

This is what Clock-Tower, part of the Kampala Flyover project, will look like according to the artistic impressions. PHOTO UNRA MEDIA

Economic benefits

The logistic improvement of roads feeding the Northern Corridor will greatly contribute to the economic development of Uganda, according to Museveni. Uganda still relies on its road network for the movement of over 90% of its goods and passenger traffic.

“The project will improve urban transportation in Kampala City Centre because newer roads are easier to drive on meaning that your daily commute will be faster and less wear and tear on your vehicle,” he said.

He added that other benefits will include reduction of traffic congestion as the fly over would remove vehicles that pass through; acquisition of skills and knowledge by Ugandan engineers and technicians; employment to both skilled and unskilled laborers.

The project will also promote and support industrial growth by consumption of local steel and other building materials and improve the safety of the pedestrians who will pass above roads on pedestrian bridges, among others.

The Japanese Ambassador to Uganda, Kazuaki Kameda, said that his government was committed to supporting the development of Uganda and that the project would help Uganda address the huge economic losses accruing from traffic congestion.

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SOURCE: PPU

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