The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) will apply for extension of the second Kampala Institutional and Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP 2) deadline.
The five year World Bank funded project started in May 2015 and was expected to be accomplished in May 2020. However, KCCA is the process of upgrading the last cohort of roads under the project. They include Acacia Avenue, Ntinda-Nakawa, Kulambiro, Lukuli & Kabusu-Bunamwaya-Lweza.
“The procurement process is in its final stages. KCCA submitted results of this process to the World Bank. The Bank generated comments which are being addressed prior to resubmission for clearance,” KCCA said in a statement last week.
Adding that, “KCCA would like to reassure the public of its commitment to constructing Kulambiro, Lukuli and Kabusu-Bunamwaya-Lweza Roads. In addition, we thank all the Landlords who permitted the road to be constructed on a portion of their land at no cost.”
KCCA has a pool of more than 40 roads lined up for upgrading. There has been anxiety among politicians over the continuous change of roads selected for upgrading under KIIDP. For instance, Port bell Road was replaced by Acacia Avenue, causing outrage from politicians in Nakawa Division.
The explanation has been that of compensation costs. Landlords on the roads set for upgrading gave their land at a free cost. The upgrading of the last cohort of roads projected to last 18 months will go past the project deadline. KCCA Acting Executive Director, Eng. Andrew Kitaka told URN that they will apply for extension of the project deadline.
Work on the last cohort was supposed to start last year. KCCA explained that “the procurement process took a little longer than projected given that we would like to recruit competent firms that will deliver the subprojects within the stipulated time and cost.”
KIIDP II, which is worth US$183.7 million, has two components. The first component focuses widening, upgrading and constructing city roads, junctions, drainage and associated infrastructure. The second component is the institutional and systems development support, which aims to strengthen the capacity of KCCA to deliver on its mandate.
Some of the road and junctions completed in the first component are Fairway Junction, Kabira Junction, Kira four lane Road, Mambule two lane Road, Bwaise Junction, Makerere Hill four lane Road and Bakuli-Nakulabye-Kasubi four lane road.
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