Nebbi Municipality has secured Shs16.5 billion to construct a modern bus and taxi park, in what officials describe as the biggest infrastructure investment in the town's history.
The funding, approved under the Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development Project (UCMID), is expected to address years of congestion, dust and disorganisation at the existing transport parks in Nebbi town centre.
Officials say the project will help decongest the town centre, create employment opportunities, improve transport management and increase local government revenue.
The modern facility will be constructed on a three-acre piece of land in Oryang Cell, Thatha Division, along the Nebbi-Arua Road. Construction is expected to begin before the end of 2026.
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According to municipal plans, the Shs16.5 billion facility will include paved parking areas for buses, taxis and private vehicles, passenger waiting sheds with seating facilities, access control systems to manage entry and exit, and high mast solar-powered lighting to enhance security at night.
The facility will also accommodate commercial and public amenities, including retail shops, stalls, a supermarket, restaurants, cafés, modern sanitation facilities, administrative offices and a police post.
Municipal leaders say the design will separate boda bodas, taxis and buses to reduce congestion currently affecting Nebbi town centre.
The Deputy Mayor and Leader of Council Business, Musa Howard, said the municipal council has already received the physical plan for the project, which has been presented before the executive committee for review.
"As executives, we met, looked at it and approved it. We are only planning to present it before council for endorsement," Howard said.
He said the procurement process would begin immediately to identify a contractor.
"The procurement process has to start. It will take about three months from August, and a contract will be awarded between November and December, followed by site handover," he said.
Howard added that construction is expected to take about one year, beginning in December, and will create numerous opportunities for residents.
The Chairperson of the Nebbi Municipal Development Forum (MDF), Linus Okecha, said the project would transform the face of Nebbi town while creating economic opportunities for residents.
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"This project will provide jobs to young people, increase revenue for the council, organise the transport system and create a one-stop shopping centre," Okecha said.
He explained that the project would be implemented in phases, with the bus and taxi park selected as the first priority.
"There are many subsequent projects that will be implemented. As members of MDF, we were informed that an assessment of all upcoming projects will be conducted this year before implementation," Okecha added.
The UCMID-funded programme in Nebbi consists of eight sub-projects, including the Thatha bus and taxi park, construction of a 33-kilometre road network, drainage systems, greening and beautification initiatives, and a leisure park, among others.
The construction of the new transport hub has renewed hopes among traders who suffered financial losses after an earlier attempt by the municipality to relocate vendors in 2020 to pave way for a modern market project.
The market project stalled after the African Development Bank (AfDB) declined to finance it, leaving several traders burdened with debts. Some businesses collapsed, while others are still repaying loans obtained from financial institutions.
Under the previous public-private partnership arrangement, traders were allocated plots and promised 15-year tenancy agreements without paying rent to the council. However, there has been no official communication from the municipality on whether the agreement will remain valid under the new developments.
