Pader, Uganda – The construction of a delayed road project from Masindi-Pader to Acholibur highway hangs in balance after it was commissioned by the President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Wednesday, 21st October 2020.
This follows concerns raised by the Aruu county MP, Hon Christopher Komakech through the Deputy Speaker Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa to the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who last week while deliberating in Parliament asked the prime minister to explain why the road work has not yet commenced to date.
Komakech urged the prime minister to clearly give the deadline for the work to be done following its commissioning in 2020, but to date nothing has been done.
“We know that the road in question was commissioned by His Excellency the President, but the work has not been done, Mr Speaker, sir. Can the Hon Prime Minister explain why it was not worked on and give a dateline for the commencement of the work,” Dr Komakech asserted.
The contract of tarmacking of Masindi-Pader to Acholibur Highway was given to Turkish Gulsan Insaat Sanayi Turizm Nakliyat Ve Tecaret from Turkey and Sadeem Al General Trading and Contracting from Kuwait to undertake the road works valued at Shillings 750 billion.
The project has been split into two parts. Sadeem Al General Trading and Contracting will build the 90.9km Rwenkunyu-Apac stretch at over Shillings 337.5b while the Turkish firm will upgrade the 100.1km Apac-Lira-Puranga section for more than Shillings 416.3b.
The contract was expected to begin around November 2020 and last for 36 months, but nothing was done to date.
However, the Prime Minister responded saying; she does not know about the road commissioned by the president but promised to work with the respective MPs to find out more.
Earlier in 2020, Ms. Allen Kagina, the Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA noted that the construction of the project will take 36 months. Kagina said the contractors would be given three months to mobilize equipment and that construction might begin in November.
