Hon. Kabuye Kyofatogabye, State Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, presented the status of manifesto implementation as well as strategic directives and guidelines for the period 2021 to be presented at the President’s Office during the manifesto week, which began on May 12.
The manifesto pledges to KCCA, according to Kabuye, include the following:
“Solve traffic and congestion problems by implementing a rapid bus transit system, a light rail system, flyovers, increasing budgets for roads and other infrastructure projects, rehabilitating existing paved roads, constructing food street bridges, implementing projects to improve drainage, building markets, street lighting, revenue collection, reconfiguring or signalizing several junctions in various areas.” Wakiso district pledges include the tarmacking of 50.7 kilometers and the renovation of important connection roads,” he said.
Kabuye stated that the government has finished the restoration of the existing 90 kilometers of paved roads, the construction of four street bridges (3 for pedestrians and 1 for cars), the reconfiguration of various city junctions, and the construction of 9.36 kilometers of municipal drainage.
KCCA has completed the feasibility study and master plan for Kampala lighting; KCCA continues to maintain 5,400 streetlights, upgraded 2,000 high-pressure mercury vapor to energy, upgraded solar lighting system technology, and KCCA has taken over market management, registering the highest revenue collection in its history of UGX 93.24B and a revenue growth of 16%.
“KCCA registered the highest revenue collection of UGX 93.24B in its history, and a revenue growth of 16%, over 9 months, from July 2022 to March 3023, for a total collection of UGX 78.79B against the target of 77.0B,” he said.
Kabuye stated that during the manifesto’s implementation, they encountered several key problems, including;
Inadequate funding for vital infrastructure and program maintenance, vandalism of public property, bad behavior toward solid waste management, an insufficient legal framework for revenue creation, and old and decaying buildings, schools, and health infrastructure.
Despite the hurdles, the ministry is working on the following, according to Kabuye:
KCCA is implementing an executive order on solid waste management, hastily implementing the GKMA-UGP project (72 km), KCRRP (69 km), and annuity projects to be funded by the UK, hastily implementing an ordinance to increase outdoor advertising, and hastily obtaining financing to purchase land for markets.
However, according to Kabuye, the manifesto pledges on rapid bus transit, light rail, and the establishment of pedestrian, boda-boda, and bus lanes have yet to be fulfilled.
He went on to say that in Kampala, UNRA is working on phase one of the Kampala flyover over Kitgum House and the Clock Tower, as well as the dualing of Mukwano Road, with an 85% completion rate.