The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has disclosed that toll fees will continue to be collected on the Entebbe Expressway for more than 18 years until the government fulfills its repayment obligation of the $476 million (approximately shillings 1.853 trillion) loan obtained from the Exim Bank of China for the road’s construction.
Allen Kagina, the Executive Director of UNRA, revealed this information to Members of Parliament during a session of the Committee on State Agencies and Enterprises (COSASE) chaired by Medard Ssegona (Busiro East) on Tuesday, March 12, 2024.
Isaac Wani, UNRA’s director of Network Planning and Engineering, explained that while the loan repayment period spans 13 years, the breakeven point, determined by optimization, extends the timeline to 18 years. Afterward, additional revenue will be collected to fund road maintenance activities, including maintenance of the Entebbe Expressway.
During the session, Ssegona raised concerns about the closure of two lanes on the expressway whenever President Museveni utilizes it, inconveniencing paying road users. Kagina responded, stating that while security measures are in place to secure the President’s passage, efforts are underway to minimize road closure times.
Since tolling commenced on January 8, 2022, UNRA, through the contractor Egis Road Operation, has collected sh75 billion as of December 28, 2023. Egis is separately compensated by UNRA for operating and maintaining the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway.
The Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, the nation’s first tolled road under UNRA, is a four-lane toll expressway linking Entebbe International Airport to Kampala, the capital city. Constructed at a cost of $350 million by China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), toll fees are intended to facilitate loan repayment.
UNRA handed over the 26.2-kilometer expressway, including the 25-kilometer tollway section from Busega to Mpala and a 1.2-kilometer segment along the Munyonyo Spur Road, to Egis Road Operation on May 24, 2021, for operation and maintenance.
Road users pay toll fees based on vehicle classification, with rates ranging from sh3000 to sh18,000 per trip. UNRA, through Egis, introduced Upesi cards offering discounts of up to 70% for motorists purchasing weekly or monthly passes.
Egis, a prominent international engineering and mobility services group, manages road infrastructure projects worldwide, including operations and engineering services for public and private stakeholders.
