In a heated session this week, legislators sitting on Parliament’s Physical Infrastructure Committee grilled Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) over what they described as “deeply disturbing” and “unjustifiable” budget allocations and timelines for the construction of selected city roads.
MP Sarah Opendi didn’t mince words. She tore into KCCA for planning to spend over Shs50 billion on a road project spanning just 3.7 kilometers. For context, that’s Shs13.5 billion per kilometre more than the price of building a runway!
“There is construction of selected roads in Kampala City like Ben Kiwanuka, Rashid Kamis, and Old Kampala. But why would it take two whole years to construct just 3.7km? It’s not only disturbing it’s absurd!” Opendi fired.
MPs also raised the red flag on three major issues like high costs per kilometre, unreasonably slow construction timelines and substandard drainage systems that fail with the first heavy downpour.
Opendi specifically pointed to Kira Road a dual carriageway stretching 4.5km, with a projected completion date of September 30, 2026.
For a city bursting at the seams with traffic chaos and pothole horror stories, two years seems like a lifetime.
Kampala’s road infrastructure is a ticking time bomb. Residents dodge potholes while driving.
When it rains, the city floods. And when the floods come, KCCA’s tiny culverts are nowhere near capable of draining the overflow.
“We toured some of the affected areas,” Opendi said. “And what we saw was heartbreaking. Culverts installed in busy city zones are so small, they get washed away every time it rains. Is this planning or just reckless spending?”
If each road project takes 2 years and costs more than some health centers, Uganda’s taxpayers may want to fasten their seat belts it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
With Shs50 billion at stake, citizens and watchdogs alike are calling for full transparency, proper audits and most importantly value for money.
