Mukono, Uganda
Finally, Mukono district is seeing long-awaited progress, thanks to the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP).
This programme is tackling the poor infrastructure that has slowed down the area’s development for years, bringing hope for better roads and improved living conditions.
With the launch of the GKMA-UDP, three major roads in Mukono are being upgraded from rough, potholed paths to smooth tarmac roads.
These improvements will make travel easier and help local businesses grow. The roads being upgraded are Ntenjeru-Bule (8.5km), Nakayaga-Seeta-Kayunga (17.4km), and Kigombya-Seeta (8.8km).
Additionally, the Kisakomba swamp will be developed, improving access and addressing environmental issues in the district.
Mukono District Chief Administrative Officer, Elizabeth Namanda, reports that the feasibility study for the earmarked roads is complete, and design reviews are currently underway. These reviews are expected to be finalised before the end of this quarter.
The GKMA-UDP is supported by a $566 million ($2.1 trillion) loan from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank Group.
According to Namanda, 296.9 billion shillings have been allocated to Mukono district for various projects, including roads, a market, and the Kyetume abattoir and wetland improvement.
These projects, funded by the allocated resources, are anticipated to be completed within five years.
“Mukono district is about to start shining,” Namanda says, noting that “The government has planned double-lane roads with walkways and streetlights within all the major trading centres.”
The district vice chairperson, Asuman Muhumuza, states that the political wing is dedicated to assisting the technical staff in obtaining consent from residents who may be impacted by the project.
Currently, there are no government funds allocated for compensating individuals whose properties will be affected by the road construction.
Instead, the responsibility falls on local authorities and communities to find alternative solutions for clearing the access routes.
“So far the efforts to convince residents to allow us to establish good roads by somehow encroaching on their land has been embraced. We still ask those who haven’t signed the consent forms to respond positively since the project aims to develop our communities.” Muhumuza says.
The district senior environment officer, Joseph Mutalya, is pleased that with the environmental resilience strategy in place, the district will be able to draft a new design to restore the degraded areas.
“Restoring wetlands by evicting encroachers and also forests by planting trees shall greatly help control flooding in the area but also restore green serene in our district,” Mutalya noted.
This website has established that once the project is implemented, the district will likely see a significant boost in its economic activities.
Mukono district thrives on agriculture, primarily producing bananas, coffee, cocoa, commercial fruits, sugar cane, tea, cassava, and livestock.
The district also benefits from fishing due to its proximity to Lake Victoria, and it has a prosperous industrial zone and trade sector.
However, producers and traders have often complained about the devastating, impassable, and slippery roads in rural areas, especially during the rainy season.
These roads also become dusty during sunny days, adding to the challenges.
Drake Mugabi, a coffee dealer, says they are often left idle without options whenever it rains, as traversing the rural areas of Mukono becomes nearly impossible due to the poor road conditions.
“Potholes keep us in the garage, paying high costs for vehicle repairs,” he says. Similarly, Safinah Namulondo, a farmer in Nakisunga, notes that they incur losses whenever dealers stop buying their produce due to inaccessibility.
“Coffee and other crops almost get rotten in stores, dealers can’t access our communities but also the weather makes it hard for us to dry them,” Namulondo says.
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