In Mukono Municipality, groups of schoolchildren navigate the narrow edges of a newly constructed road in Ntawo, balancing perilously between speeding vehicles and deep, open drainage trenches. What was meant to be a symbol of progress has instead turned into a daily gamble with death.
The road, part of the World Bank–funded Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP), was intended to ease traffic congestion and improve accessibility across the municipality.
But the initiative, designed to promote inclusive urban growth, is being questioned by the very people it was meant to uplift, as the modern roads stand as bittersweet symbols of development—gleaming with promise yet shadowed by fear as a result of design flaws.
The upgraded network, covering a total of 9.7 kilometres through Nasuuti–Nakabago–Ntawo–Bajjo–Seeta–Serado link, was designed without walkways or covered drains, forcing pedestrians, schoolchildren, traders, and boda boda riders to share the same space with fast-moving vehicles.
The main controversy stems from the Bajjo–Seeta–Serado section (2.1 km) and the Nasuuti–Nakabago–Ntawo stretch (4 km), which have drawn widespread criticism for unsafe designs that ignore basic pedestrian needs.
For many residents, the new roads—constructed by Stirling Uganda Limited at a cost of UGX 43 billion—are beautiful to look at: smooth tarmac and wide lanes, but a nightmare in real life. To them, development has arrived, but safety has not.
“We offered free land for proper road construction,” laments George Musisi, a resident of Nsambwe A. “But what we have are open trenches. Pedestrians have no space, and many homes no longer have access to the main road. People will start falling in these ditches.”
Area leaders fear it is only a matter of time before tragedy strikes. John Kisitu, the Buganda Parish Chief, describes the situation as a disaster waiting to happen, warning that the open trenches running through residential areas have become death traps, particularly for children and people walking at night. He urges the government to act swiftly to cover the trenches before accidents occur.
Some residents have resorted to desperate measures. A business owner, who preferred anonymity, says he had to pay the contractor out of pocket to install a culvert so vehicles could reach his premises. Others, like Grace Ntulume, a trader at Nasuuti junction, say the design has crippled their livelihoods.
She says bitterly that the new road design has denied them access to their shops. Traders cannot offload goods, boda-bodas cannot reach their businesses, and vehicles now park in the middle of the road. According to her, what was intended to reduce congestion has instead made it worse, leaving residents frustrated that they continue paying taxes yet cannot operate their businesses effectively.
The community says that many of them have been raising complaints through the Grievance Redress Committee, but responses have been slow. Joseph Mawejje, one of the committee members, says residents’ frustrations are mounting.
Mawejje urges the contractor to take a cue from other roads under the same project that include proper walkways and access routes. He emphasises that the roads are meant for people, not just vehicles, and insists that the government must ensure the contractor addresses these safety and accessibility issues before handing over the project.
Meanwhile, Mukono Municipal Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi admits that the initial road designs were problematic. The municipality has since written to the project consultants, M/S UB Consulting Engineers Ltd, requesting revisions to include covered drains, walkways, and barrier kerbs.
Byabagambi explains that the main challenge lies in the cost of redesigning the roads. The consultants have estimated UGX 2.6 billion for the smaller section and UGX 8.7 billion for the larger one. Despite the high costs, he assures that the municipality will reexamine the situation and explore possible solutions.
At the national level, officials have also acknowledged the problem, pointing out that the designs were poorly made and must be corrected. Monica Edemachu, the Under Secretary in the Ministry for Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, says the contractor must redesign the roads, create walkways, and ensure access for the community.
While government officials debate budgets and redesigns, residents remain exposed to daily danger. The lack of pedestrian infrastructure has left thousands, especially school-going children, at risk of injury.
Uganda’s Annual Health Sector Performance Report (2023/24) shows that road traffic injuries are now the fifth leading cause of death, particularly among those aged 20 to 29 years. In the past five years alone, health facilities recorded over 88,000 cases of road traffic injuries among adults and 3,500 among children below five, many occurring in rapidly urbanising towns like Mukono.
Julius Mukwanya, Chairperson of the Mukono Municipal Development Forum, warns that the situation could escalate.
“Mukono is one of the busiest towns in Uganda. Poorly executed road projects will only increase congestion and accidents,” he says. “These projects are meant to improve safety, not endanger lives. My office has written to all relevant authorities, and they have promised redress.”
Until the designs are corrected and pedestrian safety prioritised, Mukono’s residents say they remain “beneficiaries” only in name.
This story was first published by URN with support from the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME).
English 