KAMPALA – Motorised traffic into Kampala’s central business centre – CBD on selected routes adjoining through the clock tower junction would be diverted for at least – 60 days -starting January 14, Uganda National Roads Authority – UNRA announced on Monday.
The diversion would affect in and out-bound motorists on part of Entebbe road, Queens Way, Nsambya road, Ggaba road and surrounding areas, according to UNRA.
In a statement, UNRA advised motorists from Entebbe to use the Lubiri Ring road and Lubaga road to access the city centre, whereas those from Ggaba road would go through Mukwano road.
Motorists from the Usafi area and around Mengo Hill road will access the city centre using Ben Kiwanuka road as well as other access routes as opposed to the Queen’s Way junction. Lawrence Pario, the UNRA head of the Kampala flyover project said that arrangement was aimed at paving way for the final works of the development, whose commissioning is scheduled for March.
“These temporary road diversions are for final touches such that the flyover is done by March. We are also going to upgrade the old roads in (around) this place,” he said.
According to Pario, the stretch between the Shell Clock Tower and Nakasero Mosque would also be closed. The Sikh road will be only allowed to motorists from the city centre.
“Traffic going out of the city centre will not be affected we will change them from the side which is not yet worked on to the other which is done,” he said.
This is Uganda’s first-ever flyover costing up to $200m, stretching 3.5 kilometres within the city centre. The Works by the Japanese International Corporation commenced in 2018 and were expected to be completed in December last year.
The flyover is expected to ease the traffic congestion, mostly in the city centre, which is one of the most used routes since it connects to Entebbe international airport. However, motorists who regularly use this road voiced their discomfort about the proposed traffic diversion.
Ephraim Tugume, a taxi driver plying the Kampala-Entebbe route, said that the diversions would greatly affect their operations because they will increase the distance of travel.
Muhammad Kawooya – the Usafi Taxi park spokesperson, noted that although they needed the development, this project had inconvenienced their operations – costing them, since it was inaugurated. He pleaded to UNRA to expedite the works to save the taxi operators from the losses incurred through increased fuel consumption due to the long distances – resulting from diversions.
