SEVERAL POTHOLES RE-EMERGED ON FOUR KAMPALA CITY IN UGANDA

Several potholes have re-emerged on four Kampala City roads a few months after they were patched up with compacted gravel, according to reports.

The roads, which are in a sorry state, have made life hard for motorists and pedestrians.  The roads sampled include Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Street, all in the Industrial Area covering a total distance of over 7kms. Fifth Street covers a length of 0.8kms, Sixth Street (1.95kms), Seventh Street, (1.86kms), and Eighth Street (2.73kms).

During an on-spot inspection, this reporter counted more than 500 potholes on the three roads; Seventh Street near Namuwongo, with a length of about 2,7kms, registering the highest number, with 163 potholes, Eighth Street (134), Sixth Street (112) and Fifth Street (108).

Mr. Ismail Kalule, a Boda Boda cyclist, whom was interviewed on Sixth Street, said whenever it rains, the gravel is washed away, leaving the holes bare, which makes the road impassable and the users at risk of accidents.

Another motorist, Mr. Julius Masembe, said he has to take his car for shock absorber replacement almost every month after they are damaged by potholed roads.

“We pay taxes to the government and at the same time pay for monthly mechanical services to fix the car damages caused by the potholes. That is cheating because our taxes must be used to construct roads,” Mr. Masembe remarked.

Last year, authorities at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) said that the roads were to be fully refurbished using funds from the African Development Bank (ADB). However, there are no efforts on the ground to show that the construction of the streets is soon taking effect.

Residents on Fourth Street say the roads also lack proper drainage systems, thereby causing them to flood whenever it rains and thus paralyzing traffic and business flow along the streets.

Ms. Phiona Nakandi, a restaurant operator on Eighth Street, appealed to the government to fix the drainage system.
“Whenever it rains, water has no clear pathways and so it just floods everywhere and on several occasions, such water is splashed into our businesses by the speeding vehicles,” Ms. Nakandi said.

When contacted, the KCCA deputy executive director, Mr. David Luyimbaazi, said a contract to refurbish the four roads were signed between KCCA and China Railway 18th Bureau Company Limited, with the actual construction work slated to start next month after the ongoing mobilization process.

“KCCA is aware of the sorry state of the roads, but good enough, we have signed a contract with China Railway 18th Bureau Company Limited to renovate them,” he said.

“Our funders (African Development Bank) are ready and we expect the construction to start very soon,” Mr. Luyimbazi said yesterday.

The head of Communications at KCCA, Mr. Simon Kasyate, said the institution has received Shs1.09 trillion ($288m) from African Development Bank to implement road rehabilitation activities in the city under the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP).

“The Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth streets in Industrial Area are part of the city roads lined for reconstruction under this project. These roads are under Lot 2, whose contractor is China Railway 18th Bureau Company Limited and the construction is soon starting,” Mr. Kasyate said. 

However, Mr. Kasyate also told this publication that whereas KCCA has the mandate to rehabilitate and maintain more than 2,000km of road network in the city, it operates on a deficit budget, which has affected its infrastructural projects.

“Kampala has a road network of 2,110kms out of which only 30 percent are paved. Averagely, KCCA receives Shs26b from the Uganda Road Fund for road maintenance every financial year against an estimated need of Shs80b,” Mr. Kasyate remarked.

KCCA statistics show that out of the 2,110km road network under the KCCA budget, only 633km are fully paved, and the KCRRP aims at improving 62km of motor roads, 123km of non-motorized traffic facilities, and provision of street lighting.