The Committee on National Economy on Monday February 13th 2023, met with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials on the progress of two loans; USD175 million from World Bank for the Kampala Institutional & Infrastructure Development Project of May 2015 and USD 288 million from the African Development Bank for the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation project of 2021.
KCCA led by the Executive Director Ms. Dorothy Kisaka noted that the World Bank project will be complete by May 2023 and has had 4 extensions. The project was initially expected to end by May 2020.
The Project Coordinator, Edson Masereka said the project covered 70Kms of roads, with works which included reconstruction and upgrading. The project also included installation of street lights, signalization of junctions and pedestrian crossings, and drainage systems.
Legislators said that failure to complete projects financed by loans in time is becoming costly to gov’t.
“This is borrowed money and gov’t has to pay, you need to calculate how much we have lost with all the years of extension” said Hon. Lillian Aber (Kitgum Woman MP).
MPs also complained on the quality of work by KCCA, citing the drainage system at Lubigi and Nakivubo which continue to flood despite the investment over time.
Lubigi is a primary channel fed by about eleven secondary channels including Nakamiro, Katanga, Nsoba, Kiyanja and others. Of these, Nakamiro is the longest with about 11km and is the most populated. It has about eight tertiary channels that feed it direct from the communities.
Kampala is faced with a challenge of flooding and KCCA is pushing for a proper drainage system through its drainage Master Plan. The plan involves construction of Drainage channels, reducing storm water and establishing water retention ponds.
KCCA has been implementing the drainage channel system not only to curb flooding but also provide safety for vulnerable communities living in wetlands. The constructed community drains ensure that deep drainage holes are secured, and damping of solid waste is deterred.
The drainage of Kampala is mainly through 8 primary channels- Lubigi, Nakivubo, Kinawataka, Nalukolongo, Kansanga & Gaba, Mayanja/Kaliddubi, Nakelere/Nalubaga and Walufumbe & Mayanja North.
