Kampala — WORKS minister John Nasasira is demanding an explanation from Mayor Nasser Sebaggala for the potholes in Kampala.

He said the Government had allocated sh20b to Kampala City Council (KCC) to maintain its roads this year, with a shl60b loan also approved for infrastructural development in the city.

Addressing the press on Wednesday, the minister said the Government invested billions in city roads ahead of the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting last November.

However, he said, Kampala continued to have potholes, with the public condemning him while KCC took no responsibility.

"Sebaggala knows the number of potholes, and why they exist on the roads, but he has failed to explain why they persist," he said.

The minister dismissed claims that the poor state of roads in Uganda's highways was responsible for the increase in accidents.

Kampala-Jinja, Kampala- Masaka, Kampala-Mityana and Masaka- Mbarara highways with some of the prominent 'black spots', are managed by the central government.

The Government in the 2008/09 budget allocated sh135b for the management of 10,800km of roads.

A total of 3,500km of tarmac roads are managed by the Uganda National Roads Authority, on behalf of the Government.

Nasasira said in spite of the traffic and road safety regulations instituted in 2004, many accidents continue to occur. He said about 80% of road accidents in the country arise out of speeding or drunk-driving.