By KT Reporter
The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has commissioned the construction of Kabaka’s Lake Road in Lubaga Division. This is one of the 24 roads set to be constructed in Kampala under funding from the Government.
Speaking at the groundbreaking event on Friday in Lubaga, the KCCA Executive Director, Hajat Sharifah Buzeki, said the Ministry of Finance allocated 550 billion shillings for road construction in Kampala over three years.
Buzeki explained that the money will fund the construction of 87 kilometres of roads. However, in the first phase of the project, KCCA will construct 14.6 kilometres of roads.
Among the roads to be constructed are Kabaka’s Lake Road, Button Street, Wilson Road, Wilson Street, Market Street, Mengo-Kisenyi Link, Elisa Nkoyoyo Road, Kisenyi Lane, Market Service Lane, Market Square, Dusta Street, Church Road, Naava Road, and Church Lane II, among others.
Others include St. Steven Hospital Ring Road, Nkula Road, Mapeera Road, Kalin’abiri Road, and St. Barnabas Road.
Buzeki also noted that the contractor, Dott Services, has been given 18 months to complete the construction of the 24 roads.
The Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, criticised Dott Services, the contractor awarded the first phase of the project, for previous poor-quality roadworks in Kampala.
In February 2015, KCCA blacklisted Dott Services over shoddy work in Nakasero and Kawempe. Lukwago urged KCCA to utilise the funds from the Ministry of Finance to prioritise the construction of the Nalukolongo drainage channel, which has been planned for a long time.
KCCA previously drafted a drainage plan that includes constructing eight major drainage channels in Kampala. Lukwago lamented that no progress has been made on this front.
Israel Kasirye Kitooke, the spokesperson for the Buganda Kingdom, said the Kingdom plans to develop Kabaka’s Lake Kabaka to boost tourism in Buganda. However, they have long been challenged by the poor condition of the roads around the lake.
Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre Cathedral in Lubaga, a member of the lake’s development committee, unveiled a plan to develop the lake, which spans 60 hectares. He said that the road construction would help prevent further degradation and pollution of the lake.
Kayanja urged KCCA not to issue licenses to businesses or buildings without proper sewage systems or toilets. He stated that many people in the area direct waste into the lake when it rains, leading to pollution and foul odour.
He also appealed to KCCA to approve their development plan so that improvement works on the lake can begin after the road construction is completed.
King Mwanga II of Buganda dug Kabaka’s Lake between 1885 and 1888, intended as an escape route for the Kabaka during times of conflict. It remains one of the largest man-made lakes in Uganda-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
