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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Government has approved the extension of Shillings 139 billion under the Kampala Institutional Infrastructures Development Project two (KIIDP 2).
The World bank funded project was supposed to end in December 2019 but Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA hadn’t completed the works.
KCCA sought the project extension from World Bank, which it did, However, the money wasn’t included on in the KCCA budget during discussion of the 2020/2021 budget framework paper.
During the presentation of the budget to council in January 2020, the Ag. KCCA Executive Director, Andrew Kitaka expressed fear that the money hadn’t been added to the KCCA budget, saying they would seek it’s inclusion such that the authority can spend it.
Now KCCA Spokesperson Peter Kaujju, says government has approved the extension and included the money on KCCA’s budget.
In May 2019 KCCA started construction of 6 km of Kulambiro ring to Najeera link, 2 km of John Babiiha (Acacia) road and 3 km of Nakawa-Ntinda road all making up lot one.
The others are the 9 km of Kabusu-Bunamwaya-Lweza road in lot two and 8 km of Lukuli-Nanganda road in lot three.
However progress of construction has been slow with KCCA and China State Construction Engineering company putting the blame on the heavy rains experienced last year continuing into 2020.
According to Eng Stephen Kibuuka, the KCCA project coordinator, the construction of Lot one planned for completion in 18 months is at around 6.2% completion, lot two and three both planned for completion in 15 months are at 6.2% and 4.76% completion respectively.
The percentages accounting for up to December 2019 majorly consist of ongoing excavation works and creation of diversion routes and transfer of utilities.
Kibuuka says they didn’t anticipate such rains to prepare accordingly. Initial works include excavation and lining the ground using gravel material especially in areas where they were creating diversions.
For instance at John Babiiha avenue, they had to excavate on the side of the road to create a diversion as they also work on the drainage system that was underneath, Kitante. The diversion is still not done with.
Kibuuka says moving forward, they will work on smaller sections to completion such that rain does not affect the works.
Kibuuka says they have now approved night works that the contractor can undertake to catch up with lost time. He says this does not come at any extra cost and soon the contractor will be expected to start night works.
Kibuula says the plan is to have John Babiiha Avenue made four lane with six signal junctions including one at the first junction coming from Golf Club, then at the second Junction, at Kabojja Junior School junction and the junction at Kira road.
Nakawa-Ntinda will also be a four lane roads with four signal junctions including one at Ntinda Junction and one in the valley in Ntinda Two. Kulambiro road will be two lane with a signal junction at the junction of Kisaasi road.
For Lot two from Nalukolongo channel towards Masaka road the road shall be made four lane and for the rest of the section up to Lweza it will be two lanes with signals at Masaka road and at Lweza junction on Entebbe road.
Lot three will have two lanes with two signal junctions at Mabutu junction that leads to the barracks and the one at Hass petrol station.
All roads shall have walk ways.
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