With the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Group of 77 (G-77) +China Third South Summits drawing near, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is on the verge of completing the reconstruction, rehabilitation, and renovation of seven city roads and two drainage channels. These crucial infrastructure projects are set to be commissioned next week to accommodate delegates during the January 15 and 23 back-to-back summits.
Deputy Director of Roads and Drainage at KCCA, Mr Maurice R. Kairania, confirmed in a phone interview with Daily Monitor that works on the roads are nearly complete. The city authority, being part of the national organizing committee for both summits, is prioritizing the timely completion of these projects.
The roads undergoing various forms of enhancement include Mukwano, directly linking to the Flyover via Nsambya, and Press House Road, connecting Kibuli to Muyenga Rise and eventually to Kabalagala and Munyonyo, the summit venue. According to Mr Kairania, these roads are either being reconstructed, rehabilitated, or renovated.
Providing an update on the progress, Mr Kairania stated that all road works are expected to be finished by Sunday of the current week. Despite delays caused by water line relocations, he expressed optimism, mentioning that Mukwano and Press House Roads are at 80 and 95 percent completion, respectively, while others are at 90 percent. Street light installation and work on drainage channels are at 99 percent and are scheduled to be commissioned alongside the roads next week.
The project, initiated in October of the previous year, faced delays due to persistent rains, the relocation of water utilities by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, and the need to work on weekends and during night hours to address business on some roads.
The forthcoming summits, with over 5,000 expected delegates, including 70 heads of state from 134 countries, will run consecutively from January 15 to 24 at Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo. The NAM summit theme is “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” while G77 focuses on “Leaving No One Behind.” This will be Uganda’s largest summit since the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), aiming to address infrastructural challenges encountered during the Chogm event.
