By KT Reporter
The Ministry of Works and Transport has launched the construction and tarmacking of the 43 km Kabwoya-Buhuka road in Kikuube district.
The road construction works were launched on Thursday at Kikonda II Village in Kabwoya sub-county.
The contract for the 263 billion Shillings road project has been awarded to M/s China Railway Seventh Group Company Limited and is expected to hand over the road project by June 4th 2027. It is one of the critical oil roads that will facilitate the transportation of crucial equipment meant for the oil and gas activities in the Bunyoro sub-region.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in a speech read for him by Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister noted that the Kabwoya-Buhuka road is one of the critical oil roads prioritized by the government to facilitate the production of oil and gas in the Albertine region noting that, the road project is in line with the government’s efforts to establish a firm base for the economy by constructing and improving the social and economic infrastructure across the country.
He noted that the NRM government will continue to spearhead the modernization and improvement of infrastructure in Uganda to lower the costs of doing business, tasking the people of Bunyoro to take advantage of the various government projects being established in the region to champion development and household incomes.
The President tasked the contractor to immediately start the construction works, elaborating that further delays will not be tolerated by the government.
He has warned residents in the project area to desist from theft of construction materials, a thing he says hampers the effective progress of construction works, tasking leaders and residents to jealously guard materials meant for the road construction.
The President further stressed that all households in Uganda must select an economic enterprise in the four sectors of commercial agriculture, Industries, ICT and services, which he says will enable the households to become creators of wealth and jobs.
Eng. Alfred Ogik from the Ministry of Works, who represented Musa Ecweru, the minister of state for works, noted that the road will connect to Kingfisher, which is one of the oil exploration sites, thereby making it an important link in the oil and gas region.
He states that the road project will harness the country’s potential growth opportunities in the transportation of oil and gas, agriculture, tourism and trade.
He noted that the project will facilitate increased farm gate prices of agricultural produce particularly tea and sugarcane which are grown along the project road and also improve the livelihood and social economic well being of the people particularly women, youth and persons with disabilities by linking the population with economic opportunities in Kikuube district, Bunyoro and beyond.
Francis Kazini, the Buhaguzi County Member of Parliament, tasked the government and the contractor to ensure that people affected by the project (PAPs) are compensated.
Peter Banura, the Kikuube LCV Chairperson, applauded the government for the unique step it has taken in improving the road network in the Bunyoro sub-region, appealing to residents to prepare and tap into opportunities that are accruing from the government being initiative in the area.
Alex Byansi, an elder and a resident of Kabwoya sub-county, says the road will play a pivotal role in connecting the people in the area and other places. He too appealed to the government to timely compensate the project-affected Persons (PAPs) under the road project-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
