The Bugahya County Member of Parliament in Hoima District has decried the poor quality of the Kigumba-Masindi-Hoima-Kabwoya Road in the Bunyoro Sub-region.
Mr Pius Wakabi says that although he is not a technocrat in civil engineering, it does not require rocket science for one to differentiate between the best and the worst.
The legislator says that compared with other oil roads being constructed in Bunyoro, the Kigumba-Masindi-Hoima-Kabwoya Road falls short of standard. He calls upon government road engineers to critically supervise construction work to ensure value for money is realised.
Equally, Mr Wakabi wants the completion of the upgrading of the 135km road stretch from gravel to bitumen standard sped up. He wonders that it has taken ages for the road to be completed.
The road was projected to be completed in 2017 but until now construction work is still underway which according to the lawmaker is delaying economic development in the area.
However, Mr Wakabi says that in some parts of the region where the roads have been constructed, economic development is already being witnessed, thus, improving household income.
The Kigumba – Bulima road stretch covers 69km while the Bulima – Kabwoya road stretch covers 66km.
The upgrade of the road budgeted at US$150m is funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Uganda.
The upgrade was initially planned to start in 2014 but due to disagreements during the tendering and procurement process, it started at a later stage.
The road connects the towns of Kigumba in Kiryandongo district, Masindi in Masindi, Hoima in Hoima district and Kabwoya in Kikuube district.
According to the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), the project objective is to improve road access to socio-economic facilities and quality of transport service levels in Bunyoro sub-region thereby contributing to improved standards of living.
