Part of the completed Buhimba-Nalweyo-Bulamagi and Bulamagi-Igayaza-Kakumiro Road constructed by China Wu Yi Co. Ltd.(COURTESY)

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has lamented that his country’s bad roads get easily damaged by heavy rains, while also expressing his confidence in the new roads recently built by Chinese construction companies. 

“It is true that some roads in Kampala are full of pot holes. But with the good work done by Chinese companies, all the roads connecting to neighbouring countries are [now] smooth. From east to west and north to south, the roads are perfect. We are now embarking on constructing roads in cities and towns, and in villages,” said Museveni in an address to the nation on 22 December 2023. 

In 2021, Museveni directed the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to hand over road building projects to various Chinese companies, after some challenges were experienced with the local enterprises engaged in construction. 

The Chinese road construction companies awarded contracts at that time included Jiangxi Zhongmei Engineering Group, China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC), and Chongqing International Construction Corp. (CICO). 

In correspondence dated 7 July 2021 to Allen Kagina, UNRA executive director, Museveni said the Chinese companies had completed various projects in Uganda, and because their work quality was of a high standard, they qualified to be awarded further contracts. 

“This [letter] is therefore to direct you to enter into an agreement with those companies to design and build roads, since it is [part of the] national development plan,” Museveni wrote. 

Road and bridge contracts were also awarded to CCCC (Uganda) and CICO. Under these two contracts, the Ugandan government was to provide budgetary appropriation in quarterly instalments from the third year of execution. 

Road facelift 

Uganda was battered by El Niño from September through December 2023, which left a trail of damaged roads and smashed bridges in its wake.  

Many bridges were washed away by the heavy rain, while a large number of roads developed pot holes and gullies, along with the tragic loss of life that resulted from the floods.  

“Many bridges including those on highways got destroyed or developed cracks, which forced authorities to close them and stop traffic from moving over them. Smaller vehicles [were able to] pass through small village roads,” said Musa Echweru, state minister for works and transport, while addressing the nation about the state of the roads. 

Specifically, the appalling state of the roads in Kampala was also discussed in parliament, with members of parliament demanding that the government come up with a programme to reconstruct the destroyed roads. 

The government decided to provide funds to construct most of the dilapidated roads in the city, especially after it was confirmed that Uganda will host two major international meetings, namely, the 19th Summit of Non-Aligned Movement Heads of State and Government, and the third South Summit organised under the framework of Group of 77 and China, both in January. 

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), which oversees roads and other public property in the city, was empowered to supervise the construction and maintenance of its roads, with a budget of 260 billion shillings ($68.58 million). 

KCCA awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of roads in Kampala to CCCC in September 2023. The value of this contract is just over $42 million, with a duration of 36 months to complete the upgrade of 9.54 km of roads to paved standard, and reconstruction of a further 6.72 km of roads, among other work. 

Ongoing work on Busega-Mpigi Expressway (23.7 km) by China Civil Engineering Construction Corp. in a joint venture with China Railway 19th Bureau Group Ltd. (COURTESY)

New roads boost northern development 

Meanwhile, the construction of roads by Chinese companies in north Uganda is spurring growth, regional trade and development. That region is recovering from two decades of insurgency. The situation has however changed with the construction of four major highways built at a cost of $322.5 million. 

Chinese-built roads have opened up the northern part of the country to local and international trade with neighbouring South Sudan. 

The newly constructed roads include the 225-km Gulu-Olwiyo-Acholibur-Kitgum-Musingo Road, which has opened up the once insurgency-devastated areas of the northern regional commercial hub of Gulu City. 

Gulu, which lies approximately 336.3 km north of the capital Kampala, now has a new look after a facelift from China Railway 18th Bureau Group and CICO, who upgraded the dusty narrow roads from gravel to an asphalt surface layer. 

The two companies have constructed 34 roads, a carriage way of 7 metres with two lanes in opposite directions, parking lanes, a cycle lane and walkways, and installed street lights, service ducts and drainage channels, giving it a fresh look befitting the city. 

“The improved road network constructed by the Chinese companies has attracted new businesses and traders, and made Gulu City the commercial hub of north Uganda. Traders come from as far as Juba in South Sudan to get supplies from Gulu because of the improved road network,” said Museveni recently, while addressing the nation from northern town of Kitgum. 

He said that the Gulu-Atiak Road constructed by China Henan International Cooperation Group and China Railway Wuju Group Corp. (Uganda) has opened up north Uganda to trade with South Sudan. 

Alicia Acan in Parubanga Parish (sub-county) in Gulu said that the construction of the Gulu-Atiak Road has transformed her village of Pabbo into a busy commercial centre. 

Apart from trade, Ketty Awuma, a senior midwife working in a government hospital in Gulu, told ChinAfrica that most expectant mothers in north Uganda are now able to travel to different hospitals because of the good roads.  

The new roads in the north have also eased flooding concerns. Businessman Samson Oola, who trades in Uganda and South Sudan said that the road that connects Kampala to the South Sudan border of Elegu, built by China Railway Wuju Group Corp. (Uganda) has helped in controlling flooding that was rampant in the border town. This is made possible as the new road was built with street gutters, which prevents water from building up and creating massive pot holes and other road damage. Oola said the flooding, which previously disrupted cross-border business between Uganda and South Sudan for several days, is now no longer a problem.