The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The ongoing road works being undertaken by Kampala Capital City Authority under the Kampala Institutional Infrastructure Development Project 2 (KIIDP 2) stand at 25 percent completion.
Eng. Stephen Kibuuka, the KCCA project coordinator says the percentage covers majorly low value works like transfer of utilities and clearing drains.
In May 2019, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation limited- CSCEC started the construction the 6 Km Kulambiro ring road to Najeera link, 2km John Babiiha (Acacia) road and 3km Nakawa-Ntinda road under lot one.
Kibuuka says 60% of Kulambiro ring road has been tarmacked. The work is expected to be completed by August this year. For Nakawa-Ntinda road, the box and drainage culverts have been completed. Construction of the pavement layers which is the main drive way is set to commence.
This will be followed by the completion of road markings, installation of road signs and streetlights, construction of signalized junctions and walkways. At John Babiiha, the middle section of the box culvert has been constructed and now works are ongoing on the sides.
Constructing of the drains and utility transfer is ongoing. Utility transfers were planned to end in December 2019 but Kibuuka says they had to engage different companies some of which didn’t respond quickly hence the delay.
The other roads are the 9 km Kabusu-Bunamwaya-Lweza roads in lot two and 8km Lukuli-Nanganda road in lot three. KCCA is concluding works on the cross culverts across Lukuli Nanganda road and constructing longitudinal drains.
Kibuuka says KCCA has approved pavement layers and works should start soon. CSCEC has concluded earth works including the drainage on Kabusu-Bunamwaya-Lweza road and is now constructing the pavement layer.
However, court halted the works on the road last month after one of the residents filed a petition accusing the contractor and KCCA for pouring construction material on his land without his consent and damaging his house.
KCCA has filed an application seeking the cancellation of the injunction. Eng. Kibuuka also says the Authority has done valuation and are ready to compensate the complainant.
At John Babiiha road, Joan Nantongo, who runs Elisha’s boutique opposite Kabojja Junior School has also gone to court. She says her stock was damaged when the contractor opened manholes and storm water flooded into her shop destroying merchandise worth Shillings 53 million.
Eng. Kibuuka says the project and the contractor are insured and would follow up the matter. KIIDP 2 is World Bank funded and was meant to be concluded in December last year. However, construction significantly slowed down due to the heavy rains that fell last year.
In January, serious works resumed but in March, the country went under lockdown due to COVID-19 and the project suffered another setback. Construction resumed in May with a few workers but has now been accelerated. The works are expected to be concluded early 2021.
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