The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, has outlined the government's long-term strategy to develop Uganda's transport infrastructure, emphasizing its critical role in boosting trade, economic growth, and citizen mobility.
Speaking during Spotlight Uganda hosted by NBS Television on Monday under the theme, "Challenges facing transport infrastructure and citizen mobility in Uganda," Katumba traced the evolution of Uganda's road network from 1986 to the present, explaining how historical, economic, and strategic priorities have shaped government investment decisions.
According to the him, progress in road infrastructure was slow between 1986 and 2006 due to prolonged insurgency in different parts of the country, which forced government to prioritize security over large-scale infrastructure development.
"From 1986, we have been progressing in terms of the road network. However, between 1986 and 2006, we had insurgency and road infrastructure was not a priority. After 2006, we saw increased investment in the road sector, and that is when we started serious work on tarmacking roads," he said.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
Katumba explained that the initial focus of road tarmacking was on linking Uganda to its borders in order to strengthen regional trade.
"The government first concentrated on connecting border points. The thinking was to link the country to major trade routes and facilitate cross-border commerce," he said.
Katumba further revealed that in 2018, government shifted focus to the construction of oil roads, a move aimed at supporting oil exploration and production activities as a driver of economic transformation.
"The investment in oil roads was meant to facilitate oil exploration so that we can improve the economy," he said.
On regional cooperation, Katumba highlighted Uganda's strategic partnership with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), describing it as one of Uganda's largest and most important trading partners.
"The strategic thinking is that DRC is one of our biggest trade partners. We make quite a lot of money with them. By partnering with DRC to construct roads, the goal is to improve connectivity and trade between our countries," he said.
Katumba also emphasized the role of transport infrastructure under the Parish Development Model (PDM), noting that access to reliable roads is essential for moving goods from production areas to markets.
"We are part of the PDM structure. When people produce goods, they need a means to get to the markets, and that is where we come in. We are very involved in supporting PDM through infrastructure development," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Looking ahead, Katumba reaffirmed government's commitment to building a modern, integrated transport system that leverages Uganda's full potential.
"We are developing an integrated transport infrastructure system with good roads, railways, water transport, and air transport so that we can maximize what we have as a country," he said.
