As contractor closes Nsambya Road, transport fares may rise

The road from the Clock Tower to Nsambya has been temporarily closed from Saturday June 25, until today, as the contractor Shimizu Konoike JV executes works on the project, which includes the installation of box culverts across the road.

Previous reports had the Project Manager Wang Jung saying that the road would be blocked near the Clock Tower.

The road is the main access route for motorists to Nsambya, Makindye, Kabalagala, Kansanga, Ggaba, and Bunga, all in Makindye Division.

In harness with the construction, all traffic from the city centre from the affected areas has been diverted to Station Road joining Nsambya through Access Road and Kibuli.

However, many motorists have opted to use the Entebbe Road-Kibuye stretch to access Nsambya and areas around Kabalagala.

Again, the said motorists, to a very large extent, claim they were unaware of the developments, and the closure which is likely to create gridlock.

John Kityo, a taxi drivers’ leader at Kansanga Stage, asked for better planning and effective communication in future regarding such developments.

Patrick Tumukunde, the chairperson of the Poyesa Boda-Boda Stage located within the Good Shed area, says that the alternative from Station Road, Access Road to Kibuli that motorists have been asked to use is long and inconvenient. According to Tumukunde, passengers should expect increased fares as a result of the distance.

The construction of the Kampala Fly Over Project is funded by the Government of Uganda and Japan. Works for Phase One, starting at the Cock Tower to Mukwano Road, are expected to be complete by end of the year 2022. This Phase shall cost 224 billion shillings, while Phase two is expected to cost 659 billion shillings.