The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | World Bank representatives and government have commended leaders and road contractors in Kasese municipality for keenly supervising the World Bank-funded roads under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Additional Financing USMID-AF program which they say is yielding impressive results.
About 5.64 KM of roads are being worked on in the municipality under the USMID program contracted by China Railways 18 and Techno 3. Stephen John Ajalu, Senior Urban Specialist from the World Bank told URN that if there was no timely monitoring and supervision from the local leaders on the ground shoddy work could have manifested as is the case in some other places they have visited.
He said they have been impressed by the drainage systems that have been put in place to meet the heavy volumes of water but observed the need for the municipality to develop a strong water master management plan.
Ajalu who led the inspection of the progress of road construction works in the Municipality on Friday asked contractors to put in more effort to complete road projects, noting that if completed in time, it could be a motivation factor to the government and development partners to mobilize for more funding to improve road infrastructure in urban areas.
However, he asked the municipal leadership and the contractors to re-awaken the community to own the project so that they can participate in safeguarding and maintaining the infrastructure.
Dr. Isaac Mutenyo, the USMID-AF program coordinator, said the overall objective of the monitoring exercise among others is to assess the progress of various activities, among them infrastructure, the impact of swept resources on implementation of activities, identify what activities have stalled, and planned actions to get implementation moving as well as assess fiduciary issues, including the financial status, outstanding procurements, and contracts.
He however advised the leaders to mobilise resources to manage the drainage system outside the town centre which has often been a challenge whenever there are heavy rains.
Joseph Walter Pade, the commissioner for Urban development in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, asked the local leadership to now focus on on-source revenue mobilization so that the new roads infrastructure can be maintained.
Pade who called the ongoing works “exemplary” also asked the local leadership to focus on upgrading the planning of the town to match the rapid urban population.
The Kasese municipality mayor, Chance Kahindo called on the government to swiftly release the remaining funds to enable the completion of work. He also asked for the expansion of the program noting that, the municipal road infrastructure is still poor.
Jackline Biira roasting chicken in Nyakasanga is hopeful that once the roads are fully complete, it will boast the nightlife in the area and subsequently improve her sales. The government of Uganda through the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is implementing the second phase of the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Program, code-named USMID AF, with loan financing from the World Bank IDA.
The program is expected to be implemented over a period of five [5] FY2018/19 to FY2022/23.
The program is implemented through the respective local authorities who are responsible for implementing civil works including procurement of service providers but the program support team PST in the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development provides the overall technical oversight.
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