The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mbale Municipal authorities have clashed with Uganda National Road Authority-UNRA over the ongoing installation of street lights along Kumi road. Recently, Zhongme Engineering Group Ltd started digging up holes and cast concrete for the installation of solar street lights along the road.
The solar street lights are part of the package under the World Bank funded Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development-USMID Project. The installation of street lights on Kumi road is in addition to those already installed on Pallisa road, Republic Street, Nabuyonga Rise and Mugisu Hill lane.
However, a dispute has broken out between Mbale Municipality and Uganda National Road Authority-UNRA over the position of the street lights. Francis Okello, the Maintenance Engineer Eastern Region UNRA, says the street lights on Kumi road are very close to road.
He wants the municipality to install street lights using the new design for Tororo-Mbale-Kumi road. He says although Mbale municipality has already dug holes and cast concrete for installing the solar poles it isn’t too late to change because they are likely to affect the road construction.
The Mbale Deputy Town Clerk, Kenneth Khatuli Waniaye, says he personally noticed that the holes prepared for installing the street lights are very close to the road. He said the municipality will sit with UNRA to resolve the matter.
Mutwalib Zandya Mafabi, the Mayor Mbale Municipality, says the Town Clerk wrote to UNRA in May this year informing them about the installation of the street lights on the three roads. He asks UNRA to approach them in case any adjustments are needed.
He asks UNRA to notify Mbale Municipal council in writing incase mistakes were made.
James Kutosi, the Public Relations Officers Mbale Municipal council, says despite writing to UNRA they didn’t get any response to their letter.
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