The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Bank will fund the construction of the 78km Lira- Kamdini road.
In January, President Museveni directed the government takes over funding for the road after the World Bank set stringent conditions on environmental and social impact studies.
For instance, one of the conditions required the World Bank’s approval of the environmental and social safeguards studies including the construction materials.
Implementation of the environmental and social safeguards is important to ensure the road works do not negatively affect the society in the project area. In the meantime, the contractor has been instructed to intensify the maintenance activities to keep the road motorable.
The Lira-Kamdini highway is known as a main commercial connection route for the Lango sub-region linking the Uganda-Kenya border of Busia through Tororo, Soroti, and Lira to South Sudan via Gulu city. Construction of the road will cost 116 Billion Shillings.
MOTAENGIL Africa has for the last three years been carrying out routine maintenance awaiting a certificate of compliance to Environmental and Social safeguard (ESS) requirements which are key for all World Bank funded projects.
Speaking during the launch of the construction work on Thursday, Musa Ecweru, the Minister of State for Works and Transport explained that the World Bank reviewed their requirements as guided by the President and as a result, they were given a green light to proceed with funding of the project.
According to Ecweru, the road design is ready and the Environmental and Social Safeguard (ESS) report has also been approved. He also said that the World Bank has also approved Ngetta Hill as the source of granite.
Isaac Wani, the Director of Network Planning and Engineering at Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) assured the people of Lango that construction of the road will be expedited.
Judith Alyek, the Chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group asked the contractor to offer job opportunities to residents in the area when works commence.
In January, members of the Lango Parliamentary Group (LPG), district chairpersons across Lango, and civil activists threatened to hold a peaceful demonstration over the non-motorable status of the road. However, the demonstration was called off after President meant the MPs.
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