Minister Katumba on why Uganda must build more roads in DRC

Construction works on several strategic cross-border roads linking Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have reached 60 per cent completion, Minister of Works and Transport, Edward Katumba Wamala has said.

The gravel road projects include the 80-kilometre Kasindi–Beni road, the 54-kilometre Beni–Butebo road and the 89-kilometre Bunagana–Rutshuru route. 

The works are jointly funded by the governments of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of efforts to strengthen trade, connectivity and regional security.

The progress of the projects was discussed during a joint ministerial meeting in Kampala between Katumba and his Congolese counterpart, John Banza Lunda, the DRC Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works.

Katumba described the road projects as a strategic investment by Uganda aimed at unlocking economic opportunities across the border. He emphasised that improved road infrastructure is essential for boosting trade and facilitating the movement of people and goods between the two neighbouring countries.

“If you want roads to be constructed in Uganda, we must find the money. The economy must improve,” Katumba said during the meeting.

He added that economic growth and infrastructure development go hand in hand, noting that governments must generate resources before they can invest in major development projects.

“We cannot earn that money by sitting down and doing nothing. These roads are meant to improve cross-border business and movement of people as well as boosting security,” he said.

According to Katumba, trade between Uganda and the DRC has already grown significantly since construction works began on the roads.

He revealed that before the project started, the volume of trade between the two countries stood at about 578 million US dollars. However, the figure has since risen to approximately 1.2 billion dollars, even before the roads are fully completed.

Officials say the improved connectivity is expected to further strengthen commercial ties and open up markets for Ugandan goods in eastern Congo.

Meanwhile, DRC’s infrastructure minister Banza Lunda said both governments are committed to ensuring that the works are completed as quickly as possible.

He noted that discussions during the meeting focused on identifying ways of speeding up construction without compromising quality.

“We are doing our best to ensure that the works can move very quickly,” Lunda said.

“In this meeting we have proposed a strategy for saving time by optimising the equipment on the ground.”

The road projects are part of broader regional infrastructure efforts aimed at enhancing cooperation between Uganda and the DRC while supporting economic integration within the region.