4 June 2009
(Page 4 of 4)
Contracts for the upgrading to tarmac of the following road projects will be awarded during 2009/2010 financial year:-
In view of the age of the existing bridge across the River Nile at Jinja, the design of a new Bridge across the River Nile will also commence while the Aswa, Awoja and Agu Bridges will be rehabilitated.
The design for the construction into dual carriageways on the following roads will be also completed during next financial year.
During the next financial year the designs for upgrading the tarmac of the following roads will start:
In order to expedite the implementation and operationalization of major road projects, I have directed the Ministers of Transport and Finance to consider the development and maintenance of some major roads on a public-private partnership basis as a long term strategy of developing and maintaining some of our road corridors. These arrangements will be entered into if alternative free public roads exist.
Furthermore, the Ministries of Works and Finance are supporting the Kampala City Council to study the introduction of a rapid bus transit system through public-private partnership. This will address the excessive traffic congestion in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan area, which remains a challenge in the transport sector.
Progress with rail and water transport
With respect to rail transport, the Governments of Kenya and Uganda are concluding the resolution of the problems associated with the Mombasa-Kampala Railway, to ensure that the concessionaire fully operationalizes this vital link for trade and transportation of regional goods.
Studies for re-opening of Kampala - Kasese and Tororo - Pakwach railway lines have also started and the development and implementation of respective Ugandan aspects the East African Regional Railway Master Plan will commence next Financial Year. We have for a long time talked with the Government of Tanzania about the Tanga-Musoma railway line. This is important as an alternative to the Mombasa line. We need to discuss with DRC about the Kasese-Kisangani and with Rwanda about the Kasese-Gisenyi lines.
The design for the ship to replace MV Kabalega and repair works on MV Pamba and Kaawa are also on-going. Government is considering the development of Port Bell and Jinja ports so that they have a capacity to handle containers as part of Government's effort to develop the southern route (Central Corridor) to the port of Dar es Salaam.
The ferry for Mbulamuti - Nabuganyi (Kayunga) was also procured during this financial year. Additional ferries for the following crossings will also be procured in the next financial year:-
Progress with energy infrastructure development
Construction works for the 250 Megawatt Bujagali Dam and Power house are progressing according to schedule and the project is to commence electricity generation in December 2010. With respect to Karuma Hydropower project, construction of a larger-sized 700 Megawatt will commence by December 2010.
In order to solve the interim power shortages before the Bujagali Hydro Power project comes on board, construction of two more Heavy fuel thermal plants of 10 Megawatts at Tororo and 50 Megawatts in Jinja will be completed. This is in addition to the 50 Megawatt Heavy Thermal plant that was commissioned in September 2008 and the 50 Megawatt diesel plant at Mutundwe.
Honourable members need to note that Government has achieved a major transformation in electricity generation since the crisis of 2005, replacing more expensive diesel thermal plants with heavy fuel ones, while we progress towards fundamentally resolving long term energy needs by constructing hydropower plants. In the medium term, the cost of electricity to consumers will be more affordable and enable more Ugandan producers and rural households as well to access and use more efficient energy such as electricity, with a greater positive impact on the environment.
The following renewable energy projects have been completed and are producing electricity:
The Government has also decided that since the private investor in the Nyagak Small hydropower project is experiencing cost overruns, the Government is going to co-invest in the project so that it is commissioned by the end of this year.
Government will continue to implement the rural electrification programme to ensure that all district headquarters, production areas and communities which create nuclei for rural social and economic transformation are supplied with electricity.
Good progress is being made as demonstrated by the following:
Government is in the final stages of completing the construction of the following major rural electrification schemes:
The following schemes have been completed:
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