The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with an electric mobility company named SPIRO.

Under the agreement, the first between an African government and a green mobility company on the continent will enable SPIRO to deploy more than 140,000 electric two-wheelers in the Ugandan market over the next five years and over 3000 recharging and battery swapping stations across the country to support this transition, which will mainly target "boda-boda", taxis drivers.

Gen. Katumba Wamala, the Minister of Works and Transport signed the agreement on behalf of the government of Uganda terming it the beginning of a long partnership.

The electric motorcycles that Spiro will soon introduce into Uganda are specially designed and adapted for the African market and Ugandan terrain. The Company’s swapping technology will allow their users to easily travel with no range limits due to access to multiple battery swap stations.

Shegun Adjadi Bakari, the CEO of SPIRO and partner at the African Fund for Transformation and Industrialization (ATIF) noted that the partnership between the Ugandan Government and SPIRO will result in the creation of over 9,000 jobs. An additional focus will be on contributing to Uganda's industrialization policy. To support this deployment, an electric motorcycle assembly plant will be built to promote “made in Uganda”. Electric motorcycles will be affordable for future users. The initiative will help boda-boda riders save up to 40% of their current daily costs.

Boda-bodas taxis now account for more than 40% of travel flows in Kampala, and more in other cities across the country. By targeting these users, we are clearly demonstrating our commitment to addressing the climate and health challenges posed by the pollution associated with our current modes of transport.” adds Shegun Adjadi Bakari.

Users will be able to change their battery in less than 3 minutes compared to the usual 3 hours for a standard charge. Today SPIRO performs over 130,000 swaps from more than 250 operational battery swapping stations per month between Benin, Togo and Rwanda. The 4,500 motorcycles on the road have already traveled more than 22 million km with no carbon dioxide emissions.

General Katumba Wamala remarked that the deployment of these electric motorcycles and reliable charging and battery swapping networks is in line with Uganda's ambitions to become one of the leading countries for electric mobility in Africa.

 “In the coming weeks, we will launch our program to replace Internal Combustion Engine motorcycles with electric motorcycles as announced by HE President Museveni end of last year. Ugandan drivers will be able to hand in their old electric motorcycle model and leave with one of our commercialized electric models. This is a first in Africa and we already launched this system in Benin, Togo, and Rwanda with a strong response from the market and we are happy to bring the same approach here in Uganda,” explained SPIRO’s CEO.

The East African Civil Aviation Academy which is better known as the Soroti Flying School held its second graduation ceremony on the 31^st of March, 2023. A total of 57 students who successfully completed their training in various courses from the academic year 2019-2022 graduated at the ceremony that was presided over by the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala.

The graduands included 29 Pilots, 14 Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, 12 Flight Operation Officers, and 2 Airline Transport Pilot License (Ground) Officers.

The East African Civil Aviation Academy was established in 1971 under the Directorate of Civil Aviation under the then, East African Community and was later merged with the Ministry of Works and Transport as a Department in 1985.

The Academy has been in existence for the past 51 years providing superbly educated and trained Aviators to the Aviation Industry. The Academy’s courses include Flight Training, Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Training, Flight Operations and other short support courses.

The Chief Guest, Gen. Katumba Wamala noted that the Government of Uganda attaches great importance to the management of the Academy as a center of excellence for Aviation training in the region. He cited that with the revival of the National Courier, Uganda Airlines, it is in the government’s best interest to continue to fund the Academy’s operations.

The Academy is certified and a full member of the African Association of Training Organizations (AATO) since 2019, an Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO), and an Approved Training Organization (ATO) since 2018.

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The EACAA is however faced with a funding challenge arising from its yet to be defined legal status, as a department under the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Academy survives on a meager funding allocation from the Ministry’s constrained budget.

The funding challenge has resulted in shortages of spare parts and serviceability of the training equipment causing delays in the completion of courses by many students.

The Ministry is however addressing this challenge by undertaking an infrastructure development project which is already in its feasibility studies phase. The project is intended to improve the Academy to state of the art as a center of excellence, stated the Minister.

While addressing the congregation, the Minister of Works and Transport remarked that the government is aware of the challenges facing the Academy and efforts are underway to make major improvements.

According to Gen. Katumba Wamala, with the improvements, the academy will broaden the number of courses offered to meet today’s aviation demands and shall be able to carry out simulator trainings that were often done abroad at a very high cost.

While addressing the congregation, the Director of the East African Civil Aviation Academy, Lt Col Ronald Turyamubona congratulated and urged the graduands to innovatively and creatively apply their knowledge and skills to whatever they did in pursuance of their success.

“Congratulations to you all! As graduates of the EACAA- Soroti, please make sure that you make yourself relevant and useful outside thereby making Aviation a safe mode of transport the world over”, urged the Director.

Pillar 2; Infrastructure and Economic Services

The Ministry of Works and Transport is the Pillar Chair for Infrastructure and Economic Services, the Second Pillar of the Parish Development Model. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development is the co-chair, and the two lead Ministries on the 28^th of February held a key stakeholder’s consultative workshop to review the draft manual for the implementation of Pillar 2.

The government of Uganda adopted the Parish Development Model strategy purposes to deepen the decentralization process, improve household incomes, enable exclusive, sustainable, balanced, and equitable socio-economic transformation, and increase accountability at local levels.

Pillar 2 of the PDM; Infrastructure and Economic Development, undertakes a number of activities including the improvement of community access roads, removal of choke points from the community roads, establishment and upgrading of community markets. It also seeks to enable the extension of electricity and other forms of energy sources to communities, to Increase mineral exploitation & value addition for job rich industrialization.

Pillar 2 is also charged with the provision of sustainable water supply for domestic & production purposes, increased internet coverage to communities, and promotion of integrated planning to facilitate planned settlement.

The pillar chair will facilitate the building of the capacity of local governments and other designated entities to effectively and efficiently implement pillar 2 activities and to maintain the pillar investments.

The PDM has seven Pillars i.e.

(1) Production, Storage, Processing, and Marketing;

(2) Infrastructure and Economic Services;

(3) Financial Inclusion;

(4) Social Services;

(5) Mindset change;

(6) Parish Based Management Information System

(7) Governance and Administration.

The Honourable Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama this week broke ground for the opening up and improvement of security roads in the Karamoja sub-region and the neighboring districts.

When completed, the roads will improve connectivity between the sub-region in the specific districts of Kaabong, Kotido, Karenga, Moroto, Abim, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripirit, and Napak.

The ceremony brought together numerous members of parliament from the region as well the Minister of State for Karamoja affairs Hon. Agnes Nandutu. All the political leaders showed great enthusiasm about constructing these roads as they collectively believe that the roads will greatly transform the region in terms of security, accessibility, and development.

The cabinet directed that security roads covering approximately 2240km in 11 Districts of Karamoja Sub-Region and the neighboring Sub-Regions should urgently be worked on to facilitate connectivity and mobility of Security Forces in the area to curb insecurity and cattle rustling in the region.

To begin with, Government is going to work on 250km of roads as follows:

• Lot 1: Nakirolo – Naput – Kotein – Loyoro (88km) and Loyoro – Lopedo - Turuturu (50km); 138Km and
• Lot 2: Karisarik - Magos-Naput (32km) and Kobeb – Kalongolemuge - Nakaperimoru (80km); 112km.

The procurement of a contractor for Lot 2 was finalized and the contract was awarded to M/s Uganda Martyrs Housing and Construction Company Ltd. The procurement for the 2^nd contract is underway.

The scope of works for the above interventions included, site clearance, heavy grading, graveling, drainage improvement works including culvert installation and construction of bridges, swamp raising and filling and ancillary works.

The proposed road lengths to be improved in each District are as below:

Residents of Kitabu sub-county, Bukonzo County east in Kasese District are eager for the completion of a 12 billion shillings bridge over River Nyamughasana. The Bridge is being constructed by a local contractor Armpass Technical Services.

In 1966 flood water swashed away the bridge that existed at that point leaving the surrounding community without access to social and economic amenities on either side. For over 50 years the residents have had to cross over using makeshift wooden bridges.

The State Minister of Works, Hon. Musa Ecweru officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the bridge. While addressing the gathering he emphasized to the contractor the importance of ensuring that they deliver a quality, long-lasting, and sustainable bridge within the contract time.

The River. Nyamughasana is known to be ferocious carrying boulders and tree stumps with it and causing destruction. Numerous lives have been lost as people attempted to cross the river on makeshift bridges. The new bridge will therefore be an answered prayer for the community once complete enabling easy and safe access to social amenities and commerce.

The bridge is expected to be complete by May 2023 and the community and political leaders are optimistic that the bridge will boost trade in the county and District at large.

The State Minister for Works, Hon. Musa Ecweru on Wednesday 25th January 2023, officially broke ground for the construction of the Bunadasa-Bugibuni composite bridge over River Sironko. The project is fully funded by the government of Uganda.

Once completed, the bridge will provide connectivity to the communities of Budadiri East and Budadiri West constituencies as well as the sub-counties of Buyobo, Nalusala, Bumalimba, Bukiise, and Buwalasi.

It is worth noting that the current bridge construction location had a makeshift wooden bridge over which people would cross precariously when the river flow was low. However, crossing this structure would become impossible when the river would be swollen with fast-flowing water.

Numerous lives have reportedly been lost while attempting to cross the river on foot and failing to get across for emergency medical care.

River Sironko has a large catchment area and due to the steep terrain its flow becomes very ferocious, especially at the peak of the rainy seasons; carrying a lot of debris comprising of tree stumps, branches, boulders and sediments from the higher reaches of the Mt Elgon ranges;

The leaders and the communities around this area have made repeated requests for a bridge to enable them to cross the river safely while also reducing travel distance and time to reach social amenities and markets.

The contract for the construction of the Bunandasa-Bugibuni Bridge commenced in February 2022 and is due for completion in July 2023. The main scope of works includes the Construction of a 20m clear span steel composite bridge; River training; River protection using gabions for 200m; and Approach road construction of 500m on either side of the bridge.

Works were tendered out competitively and eventually the best bidder, M/s Saed Technical Services Ltd. was awarded the contract at a price of UGX 5,499,659,748.

The contract was awarded to a local contractor who had previously done commendable work with the Ministry in the construction of the Ojonai Bridge in Amuria District; a good quality project that was completed within project time and cost.

The Government of Uganda recognizes the vital role that district and community roads play in stimulating the socio-economic development of the country. Accordingly, the Government is deliberately committing funds to interventions geared towards addressing the structural bottlenecks that hinder the transportation and movement of goods, people, and access to services on the District, Urban, and Community Access Roads (DUCAR) network;

Among the key bottlenecks on these roads are the poor or non-existent bridging structures across various water bodies. The demand for such structures is actually very high given the country’s endowment with many mountains, rivers, streams, lakes and swamps. In addition, many of the bridges constructed during the colonial era have now exceeded their life spans and require replacement.

The Ministry of Works and Transport held its second Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Services Programme Review workshop on the 8^th of December, 2022. The performance review ran under the theme “Optimizing Transport Infrastructure and Services for Socio-economic Development”.

The review workshop evaluated the annual Programme performance for the Financial Year 2021/22 in terms of investments, achievement of outcomes and interventions, opportunities, and challenges. It is based on Programme Indicators and interventions as outlined in NDP III and Programme Implementation Action Plan (PIAP).

Under the ITIS Programme, the key Programme stakeholders include up to 33 implementing partners with MoWT, UNRA, UCAA, URC, URF, KCCA, and UNACL as the lead implementing partners and the Ministry of Works and Transport as the leader of the Programme. These are the MDAs whose performance was reviewed at the workshop and recommendations accorded.

The second Annual ITIS Programme Review Workshop was officially opened by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and attended by the Sector Ministers, Hon Members of Parliament, Development Partners, and Representatives from MDAs, LGs, Private Sector, CSOs and the Media.

While officiating at the Workshop, the RT. Honourable Prime Minister, Robinah Nabanja pointed to the Government’s recognition of the notable steady progress registered under the ITIS Programme.

“The improvement in the stock and quality of productive infrastructure has greatly improved connectivity, enhanced competitiveness of our products, widened the Country’s export base and created more wealth,” said the Prime Minister.

“The role of transport in realizing our agenda on mineral-led industrialization, economic infrastructure, oil and gas as well as science, technology and innovation to drive job and wealth-creation to secure the lives of Ugandans, is undoubtedly important,” she added.

The NDP III rightfully identifies Uganda’s transport infrastructure as an integral part of its regional and international competitiveness. This is mainly because productivity in virtually every sector of the economy is affected by the quality and performance of the country’s transportation and other types of infrastructure. Therefore, access to and efficiency of transport infrastructure is critical to Uganda’s competitiveness and ability to harness its regional and globalization potential.

The goal of the ITIS Programme is to develop a seamless, safe, inclusive and sustainable multi-modal transport system and all the Programme interventions are aligned to this development goal and that of the Country.

The Minister for Works and Transport, Gen. Katumba Wamala while speaking about the general performance of the programme pointed out in FY 2021/22, Parliament appropriated a total budget of UGX 4,966.60 Bn to the ITIS Programme with GoU and Development Partners contributing 59.02% and 40.98% respectively. Up- to 86% of the approved budget was released and this was directed to a portfolio of up-to 64 projects and various recurrent programme activities.

Consensus by the participants at the workshop was that by prioritizing Uganda’s transport objectives the Country will be able to realize a well-connected transport network that is key in providing inclusive economic benefits that result in multiplier effects such as industrialization, increased access to markets, employment and attracting private sector investment.

It was recommended that the Programme prioritizes the rehabilitation of roads which have been damaged as an effect of the heavy rains. It was also decided that it is imperative that there is increased funding for road maintenance.

Vehicle testing commencement to ensure that vehicles that do not meet the required standards in terms of emissions’ are not allowed on the roads was also a strong recommendation.

With an advent into the aviation industry, it was recommended that the East African Civil Aviation Academy should be strengthened to be in position to train the human resource necessary for the lucrative aviation industry.

Overall, the Programme performance during FY 2021/22 was to a great extent satisfactory despite some challenges.

Boda-Boda safety is at the center of this year’s National Road Safety Awareness Campaign.

This year, the Ministry, in collaboration with road safety stakeholders has decided to raise awareness of Motorcycle safety under the theme “Together for boda-boda Safety”.  

The decision to focus on creating awareness of the safety of boda-bodas arose out of a growing number of road crashes involving motorcyclists and motorcycle passengers.  According to the Annual Traffic Police Report 2021, out of the 4,159 people killed 1,390 were motorcyclists, this number forms the highest number of road user groups killed.

National Road Safety Week is an annual event to raise awareness about road safety and promote steps that everyone can take to stop needless deaths and injuries each year. This year’s activities include an awareness walk, training, and sensitization of boda-boda riders, pedestrian /zebra crossing painting as well as visiting accident victims in hospitals.

While launching the National Road Safety Week’s activities at the UNTA grounds in Kyambogo, the Minister of State for transport remarked that, for the Government, to reverse the “boda-boda pandemic or epidemic”, road safety stakeholders have a duty to organize the industry, sensitize the riders, train and ensure that they have all the statutory requirements to operate.

“As we work towards achieving the Global target of reducing road crash fatalities and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, Government through my Ministry is committed to implementing policies and interventions to improve Boda boda safety in the country,”.

The increasing use of boda bodas especially in urban areas has been partly attributed to the inadequacy of an Urban Mass Transit Transport System. Records show that an average of up to 18,000 motorcycles are registered on a monthly basis. This number is expected to grow over the years hence a great need to plan and regulate the boda-boda industry.

A census on motorcycles by KCCA revealed that out of the 42,000 motorcycles registered, 37,000 (88%) were boda bodas. 94% of these boda bodas did not have driving licenses, 98% did not have PSV licenses and only 157 riders had all the requirements to operate.

“My Ministry is working with KCCA and the Uganda Police Force to streamline the boda-boda operations in Kampala City. This will include gazetting of boda-boda stages, assigning operators to approved stages within the City, and training boda-boda riders in approved Driving Schools,” said the Minister.

Part of the short-term interventions proposed in the National Road Safety Action Plan includes a review of the Motorcycle helmet Standard in partnership with UNBS. The Ministry also plans to develop and implement an automated driver training and testing System in order to ensure that all drivers including motorcyclists are well-trained and tested before being issued driving Licenses.

The Minister also directed the concerned agencies; Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda Police Force, KCCA, and all other stakeholders, private sector and civil society organizations to sustain the campaign and efforts for change in the Boda-boda industry for at least a period of six months or even a year.

”I want us to come back here next year and evaluate the interventions we have made on boda-boda safety,” he said.

The Honorable Minister of State for Works, Musa Ecweru commissioned the construction works for the 6km Low cost sealing of the Gavu-Nsagi road in Kasawo- Busia Mukono District.

Low cost sealing is a technology that utilizes locally available materials and labour. The technology targets roads that typically carry less than 300 vehicles per day.

The approach has been adopted as an alternative to graveling and traditional bituminous surfacing, this reduces on the maintenance backlogs and can stimulate social and economic growth,

In 2008, Government realized that the cost of maintaining gravel roads was skyrocketing as gravel, which is the major construction material, and a finite resource was getting depleted and haulage distances getting longer, coupled with the fact that it serves for a very short time. Additionally, most gravel roads are impassable during the rainy season and dusty during the dry season, hence unfriendly to the environment.

In 2009, Government signed an Agreement with Government of Denmark to implement the U-Growth Programme; a main ingredient of which was the introduction of the low cost sealing approach through training conducted at Mount Elgon Labour-Based Training Centre (MELTC) and roll out initially in a few districts.

To date, the Ministry has trained over 30 contractors and is training more in the technology. The technology was tried in the greater Districts of Teso, Lango and Acholi sub-regions and it now covers 27 Districts in the same sub-regions. The results were very impressive. Over 150km of low volume roads have been sealed using the technology in the project districts. The roll out of the technology did not start until FY 2018/19 when the Ministry secured funding.

These Low volume roads in various Districts are to be constructed using the Low Cost Seal Technology this financial year;

• Busaana Town Council road (4.0km) in Kayunga District
• Hima-Kihyo Road (6.0km) and Kirembo-Kasemire road in Kasese District
• Iki Iki Town Council roads (5km) in Budaka District
• Kanyeganegye- Nyakisa road (5.0Km) in Rukiga District
• Kiboga Town Council roads (2.0km) in Kiboga District
• Kiwoko-Katalekamese road (5.0km) in Nakaseke District
• Buyende town council roads (2.2Km) in Buyende District
• Nabitende Church road (1.8Km) in Iganga District
• Limlim road (0.7km)Kaddam road (1.5km) and Market road (2.8km) in Nakapiripirit District
• Mweena Road (2.8Km), Ssemakadde road (1.5km) and Buggala road (0.7km) in Kalangala District
• Amus-KAyembe and konginga Town council stressr toad (5.0km) in Bukedea District.

Residents of Bulindo, Nsasa and Namugongo in Kira Municipality relieved as rehabilitation works for the 4.56 Km road that links them commences. The 4.56 Km stretch has been characterized by dust during the dry season and excess mad and gullies during the rainy season. The residents are therefore greatly relieved at the prospect of upgrading the road to bitumen standard.

The Hon Minister of State for Works, Musa Ecweru officiated at the launch of the works in Kira Municipality. The rehabilitation works contract was awarded to M/S King Albert Construction Ltd following a competitive procurement process.

The Minister remarked that the project could not afford to fund acquisition of land for the construction of the road and was therefore offered to the Municipal council on condition that the community provided the right of way without demanding for compensation.

While addressing the gathering, the Permanent Secretary’s representative, Eng. Steven Kitonsa, the Commissioner for Roads and Bridges at the Ministry requested that other public utility service providers such as UMEME, National Water, Police ensure that that their service lines are placed according to the required depths and, are properly marked and completed well before the works commence.

A good road network does not only offer comfort to users but also improves accessibility either by unlocking areas of land or shifting traffic from congested areas. The shift of traffic eventually improves environmental sustainability through reducing dust and carbon emissions from the travelling vehicles, reduces vehicle operating costs (less fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance costs etc.) boots security and economic activities in the area.

Some of the recently concluded and ongoing road upgrading and reconstruction projects in the Municipality include;

• Bulindo-Kimwanyi-Nakwero road (3km) which was completed in early 2021.
• Kiwologoma-Kikukutwe-Kijabijo road (4.5km) which was launched on 13^th September 2022
• Najjera-Kira-Kiwologoma, Kyaliwajala-Kira-Kasangati-Matugga