Project details

Nakalama-Tirinyi-Mbale road is approximately 100km, with a double bituminous surfacing. The road links the North Eastern parts of Uganda (Mbale, Sebei and Karamoja) to the South Eastern and Central parts of Uganda.

Progress

The physical progress of works as at 31st July 2019 is 51.02% against a planned progress of 61.2% while the time progress is at 61.1 %. The Slippage in progress was due to the fact that:

• In the previous months (especially April to November 2018) the contractor was planning for less monthly activities contrary to his approved work program. Thecontractor was advised to plan his monthly activities in relation to his approved work program.
• There are also activities that the contractor had planned to execute at this time which are not implementable due to instructions and work procedures. The Contractor has submitted revised work program which was approved on 31 July 2019, however, in accordance with the conditions of the contract, the contractor will continue to update his program in the event of delays.

It is also important to note that in terms of work production agreed upon in Consent Agreement, the Contractor has done 55.35km ahead of the required 52km by end of 13th Evaluation Month (23rd July 2019) thus complying with the target of 4km per month after expiry of the mobilization period of 2 months.

Section A: Kyerima-Nakaseeta- Lukonda (6.0km) in Kayunga District

Project details

The Low cost sealing of Kyerima-Nakaseeta-Lukonda road section A (6.0 km) located in Kayunga District was contracted out to M/S Empa Associates Ltd.  The project commenced and work is ongoing.

Scope of work

The scope consists of Site preparatory works, setting out and clearance works, Earth works, Drainage/structural works, Gravelling, completion works and surfacing works using Low Cost Sealing technology (single surface dressing with quarry dust cupping option).

Project progress to-date

Physical Progress:

• The Site preparatory works, setting out, clearance works, sub-grade preparation and sub base construction have been completed.
• Earth works, base and Drainage/structural works is ongoing.

The overall work progress stands at 35% against a time progress of 71%.

Section B: Kyerima-Nakaseeta-Lukonda (6.0km) in Kayunga District

Project details

The Low cost sealing of Kyerima-Nakaseeta-Lukonda road section B (6.0 km) was contracted out to M/s. Bestways General Contractors Ltd.  The project commenced and work is ongoing.

Scope of work

The scope consists of Site preparatory works, setting out and clearance works, Earth works, Drainage/structural works, Gravelling, completion works and surfacing works using Low Cost Sealing technology (single surface dressing with quarry dust cupping option).

Project progress to-date

Physical Progress:

• The Site preparatory works, setting out, clearance works, sub-grade preparation and sub base construction have been completed.
• Drainage works are ongoing.

The overall work progress stands at 30% against a time progress of 96%.

Project details

Reconstruction of Lukuli Road

• The 7.71 km road project starts from Hass Petrol Station and connects to Salama Road;
• The project works involve expansion of the road width from the current 5 – 6 metres to 7 metres, with 1.5 metre walk-ways on either side of the road;
• Street lighting is part of the contract;
• At the time of inspection, the contractor had completed all the necessary preparations, and had started on the physical works;
• There will be no compensation of Project Affected People (PAPs).

Project details

GoU approved funding towards the cost of upgrading and/or reconstruction of 12 roads in Kawempe/Lubaga Division (as broken down in (b) below), and totaling to 16.15km in length. The works consists of design updates, site clearance, drainage works, earthworks, pavement layers of gravel or crushed stone, bituminous layers and seals, and ancillary works including street lighting bases.

Implemented by KCCA, the contractor is M/s. Energoprojekt Niskogradnja, while the Supervision Consultant is Prome Consultants Ltd. The contract duration is 20 months, with commencement date of 17^th February 2018, and expected completion date of 17^th December 2019. Original contract price was UGX.54,876,070,942 (VAT inclusive), but this was revised to UGX.60,612,199,680.

Project roads with their respective lengths and progress to-date:

Overall physical progress was 87%, overall time progress was at 88%, while an advance payment of UGX 8,231,410,641 (15% of the original contract price) had been effected.

Status

The major road works (tarmac and drainage channels) for projects like Mackay, Waligo, Sembera, Lungujja, Munaku, and Nalukolongo had been completed at the time of inspection. The contractor was finalizing with walkways on most of these projects. Earth works for the construction of walkways along Waligo road was ongoing at the time of the inspection as seen in the pictures below:

Project details

The project is a design and build contract being undertaken by M/s. Stirling. It covers a distance of 1.5 km from Bakuli to Luwum Street. Although the initial concept was having an entire road designed as non-motorized, some sections of the road will be motorized. This is because there are already existing businesses, e.g. shops, and the owners would need vehicles to come close to their premises, e.g. delivery trucks.

The objective of the second phase of the project is to improve capacity by upgrading the 17.5km to a dual carriageway standard. This will relieve congestion, reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs as well as protect Kampala's city roads from heavy commercial traffic. The Capacity Improvement of the Northern Bypass project includes the following;
(i). Construction of an additional carriageway, approximately 17.5km long, to complete the dualisation of the Kampala Northern Bypass to a 4-lane dual carriageway road;
(ii). Construction of 3 new footbridges at km 10+380, km 14+020 and km 18+020;
(iii). Construction of 6 new grade separated interchanges at Sentema - km 2+900, Hoima road (km 5+350), Gayaza road (km 8+650), Bukoto - Kyebando road (km 10+750), Ntinda Road (km 13+250) and Naalya (km 16+900).

Project details

Progress
The overall physical progress compared to the revised scope of works and programme is calculated to be about 62.2% compared to the planned target of 65% at the end of July 2019. Financial progress achieved was at 61.3% against the planned target of 63.8% in the same time frame.

(i)Busega-Sentema-Hoima Sections
• Widening of ramp D for RHS shoulder and footway is completed to AC levels and concrete footpaths also completed;
• AC 20 surfacing to the shoulder from km 3+300 to 4+320 done, and concrete footpaths from km 0+020 to 1+090 also done;
• Tie in of the existing road and Entebbe Express with AC 20 was completed from km 0+660 to 1+080 RHS including overlay of the existing road surface with AC 20;
• Verge between the shoulder and footpaths completed to CRR from 0+020 to 1+090 RHS;
• The single seal applied on the shoulder near median drain of existing road completed from km 1+090 to 2+500;
• Traffic diverted to the LHS carriageway from Sentema to Hoima to enable the works of shoulder and footway on RHS.

(ii) Sentema Interchange Construction
• South approach road RHS completed to CRR level and tied to the roundabout circular lanes waiting priming;
• The roundabout carriageway on eastern side including the circular carriageways completed to DBM level;
• The circular carriageway on the roundabout western side completed to CRR level;
• The median reserve filled with murram and then CRR and completed to Single seal;
• Trimming of the embankment fill slopes on the ramps is in progress and completed on RHS and LHS on Hoima side;
• AC 20 laid on the western/east entire ramps including the bridge deck.
• The water way of the gutter kerbs on the ramps casted with concrete.

(iii) Hoima Road Interchange Construction
• Western and eastern ramps completed to CRR layer and in preparation for priming;
• The central ramps between the bridges completed to G15 level and ready for CRR layer;
• Tie in of the eastern ramp with the existing road completed to CRR level;
• Reinforcement steel bar fixing and concrete casting for the cast in-situ parapet walls completed;
• Reinforcement fixing and concrete casting for the approach slabs completed for four sides and remaining four blinding concrete casted;
• South approach road RHS completed to G15 level and CRR in progress including the LHS lanes, and the precast parapet wall erection is complete and grouted with epoxy.

(iv) Kyebando Interchange Construction
• RE wall backfill to the western side of the IC is in progress but given less priority;
• Slip road L2 except the one at inlet of ML29 completed to CRR levels and primed;
• The northern approach fully completed to CRR level and primed and awaiting DBM and AC surfacing layers;
• ML-29A box culvert 1st phase, and the road works for traffic diversion also completed;
• The service duct at km 11+040 1st phase completed, and the road works for traffic diversion also completed;
• The Kyebando footbridge completed and Contractor requested for handover to the Contracting Authority but pending approval of as-built drawings repair of expansion joints.

(v) Ntinda Interchange Construction
• The G7 fill embankment construction at SRL2 was in progress and stopped at the footing level of the RE wall;
• The gabion wall construction on SRR2 completed and the U-drainage channel constructed on RHS;
• The G7 fill embankment construction on SRR2 started on 8 July 2019 and is in progress with priority;
• The diversion construction completed, and traffic diverted as of 10th June 2019, which allowed commencement of foundation excavation forwall-1 of the IC Bridge on 21 June 2019 but stopped as of 9th July 2019 due to the encountered geotechnical condition different than considered in the design and called for additional investigation.

Project details

The main project objective of the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway is to provide an efficient mass transit route between two vital cities (Kampala and Entebbe) in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) region and decongest Kampala. The total length of the project is 49.56km and is being constructed using the design and build approach. Funded by Exim Bank of China and the Government of Uganda, the project commenced on 19^th November 2012 and was expected to be complete by 18^th November 2017, but this was revised to 16^th November 2018, and again revised to 25^th July 2019.

Scope of work
The project is comprised of the construction of a 4-lane dual carriageway with two major sections as detailed below;
(a). 36.94 km road connecting Kampala Northern Bypass at Busega to the existing Kampala-Entebbe road at Mpala; and
(b). 12.62 km road from Kajjansi to Munyonyo through Lweza. An interchange was built at Kajjansi for purposes of this connection.
The section from Busega to Mpala has a restricted access and is has adopted an expressway standard roadway width from 21.7m to 26.7m, with a design speed of 100km/h.

The section from Mpala to Kitooro (Entebbe), has been widened between 20.6m-22.1m with a design speed of 80km/h, while the section from Kitooro to the Airport Gate is throughway standard with a roadway width 20.6m - 22.1m and design speed of 50km/h.

The Kajjansi - Munyonyo section is a spur type highway with the Urban through Standard roadway width of 20.1m - 22.1m and design speed is 80km/h.

The road project also includes the following structures:
(i). 19 overpass bridges, 44 box slab culverts and 17 underpasses;
(ii). 4 major bridge structures at Busega, Nalukolongo, Kaggwa and Nambigirwa;
(iii). 3 interchanges located at Busega, Kajjansi and Abaita Ababiri;
(iv). 3 Toll gates located at Busega, Kajjansi and Mpala.

Project progress to-date
The physical work progress achieved as of 31st July 2019 was 100% against a planned target of 100% whereas the time elapsed was 100%. The progress is based on the revised completion date of 25th July 2019.
The contractor has substantially completed the identified road sections and was issued Taking-over certificates as follows:
Overlay section from Kitooro to Entebbe Airport gate (4.02km) – 22nd November 2017;
(i). Busega to Mpala (24.5km) – 15th May 2018;
(ii). Kajjansi to Munyonyo Spur (12.68km) – 18th May 2019;
(iii). Widening section from Mpala to Entebbe (8.32km) – 17th July 2019.
The contractor is currently undergoing 12-months defect liability for the just concluded section, and the project will have a 5-year guarantee period.

Uganda joins the rest of the world in marking the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week  under the theme “Streets for Life #Love30”. The theme calls for a 30 km/h speed limit on streets where people Walk to Save Lives.

Uganda on Tuesday received its second Airbus A330neo aircraft, bringing the total fleet to six as the national carrier, Uganda Airlines, continues with revival efforts.

The A330neo aircraft touched down at Entebbe International Airport, on Tuesday as few invited guests due to COVID-19 guidelines cheered. The country received a similar aircraft last month.

Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who received the aircraft thanked Ugandan pilots and aircraft engineers for playing a critical role in offering technical guidance to the government in restarting Uganda Airlines.

“The successful delivery is an affirmation of Uganda Airlines’ ambition to start long haul operation and this new wide-body pair will serve the carrier’s international network expansion with flights from its hub at Entebbe International Airport,” said the airline in a Tuesday statement.

Uganda began flight operations in August 2019 with the four Bombardiers CRJ900 for regional flights.

Government is optimistic that the revival of the national flag carrier will boost the country’s economic growth and tourism. Ugandans spend over 400 million U.S. dollars on air travel annually.

MoWT and UNIDO start construction preparation works for Uganda’s first training centre for road construction equipment operators, in Luweero

In order to address the industrial skills gap in Uganda, the Government of Japan, the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with technical support from Japanese partner Komatsu Ltd., are building the first dedicated training centre for road construction equipment operators in Uganda.

The land for the training centre in Butuntumula sub-county in Luweero district has been officially handed over to the MoWT this week. The construction preparation works such as the topographic survey were started immediately and a groundbreaking ceremony to start the construction of the centre is expected early next year.

In recent years, the Government has procured road construction and maintenance equipment such as motor graders, wheel loaders, excavators, bulldozers and backhoes and distributed them to District Local Governments across the country. The new training centre will allow to match this investment in road machinery with an equivalent investment in human resources: within the next three years, the training centre will train over 500 Ugandan road equipment trainers, operators and youth seeking employment.

Many companies in the road construction sector hire foreign labour instead of Ugandan youth, as there is no training centre for young Ugandans to receive formal training on road construction equipment so far. The aim of this project is to support the “Uganda Vision 2040” and pave a bright future for Uganda so that young Ugandans can build, maintain, and improve the country’s road infrastructure.