By KT Reporter
The government has signed contracts for the upgrade of the Ntenjeru–Bule Road in Mukono District, unlocking the second phase of a long-awaited project under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP).
The signing ceremony, held on Wednesday at Mukono district headquarters, officially concluded a procurement process that began in May and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving transport infrastructure in the district.
The project is jointly funded by the Government of Uganda and the World Bank, with construction expected to be completed by September 2026.
Mukono District Chief Administrative Officer, Henry Ddamba, said the upgrade is part of a broader effort to extend affirmative action and address longstanding service gaps across Mukono.
Phase Two of the Ntenjeru–Bule Road covers 10.5 kilometers and has been awarded to China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group Company Limited at a contract sum of UGX 32.5 billion, exclusive of VAT. The same contractor implemented Phase One of the Bugigi–Bule section.
To ensure quality delivery, Hassan Consultants Ltd has been contracted to supervise the works for 36 months at UGX 1.039 billion, while Eco-Serve Consultants will manage environmental and social safeguards at UGX 897 million.
According to Eng. Ben Kyemba, the GKMA-UDP Project Coordinator, the upgraded road has been designed to improve mobility, safety, and community wellbeing.
Utility relocation—including power, water, and telecom lines—will be fully handled by the contractor. Rural sections will feature a seven-meter carriageway, 1.5-meter shoulders, and open drains, while urban sections will have 1.7-meter walkways, closed drainage, solar street lighting, and wider shoulders to promote safety and support non-motorized transport.
The design also incorporates concrete and box culverts, stone-pitched drains for erosion control, asphalt surfacing, and critical safety installations such as signage, road markings, and guardrails.
“We have taken into account the night economy because people need to do business even after dark,” Kyemba said.
For residents of Mpatta and the surrounding areas, the upgrade promises to end years of hardship. Mpatta Sub-county LC3 Chairperson, Monday Kimbugwe, said the road had become nearly unusable, muddy, and impassable during rainy seasons, and unbearably dusty in the dry months.
He noted that the area’s tourism potential, including visits to local beaches, had suffered a steep decline, worsened by the aftermath of the MV Templa tragedy, because poor roads discouraged travellers.
Kimbugwe believes the improved road will revive tourism, boost business, support agriculture, and greatly ease access to Kampala.
Ministry of Kampala Under Secretary, Monica Edemachu, assured residents that government support extends beyond the Ntenjeru–Bule project. She revealed that designs for the Kigombya–Seeta Road (8.4 km) and Nakayaga–Seeta–Kayanja Road (17.4 km) are complete, and bidding for contractors will begin soon. Additional works are planned for the Kyetume abattoir and Kisakombe swamp.
Edemachu emphasized that the projects reflect commitments under the NRM Manifesto, the National Development Plan IV, and Vision 2040, which aims to propel Uganda toward middle-income status.
“Whatever we are doing is in the manifesto and the development plan. We are working towards realizing Vision 2040,” she said.
Mukono Resident District Commissioner, Fatumah Ndisaba, urged residents to view the improved roads as economic enablers rather than spaces for disorderly roadside trade.
She stressed that strengthened infrastructure is intended to facilitate trade, raise household incomes, and increase property value.
Ndisaba further directed local leaders to ensure contractors hire Ugandans, enabling communities to benefit not only from the final road but also from employment opportunities during construction.
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