The Minister of Finance Matia Kasaija has Tuesday signed the exchange of notes and grant agreement worth Shs 2.9 billion for the detailed design of the project to improve traffic control in Kampala city between the Government of Uganda and the Government of Japan.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Executive Senior Vice President, Kazuhiko Koshikawa signed on behalf of the Government of Japan.
Kasaija thanked Japan and welcomed the project which he said will ensure smooth and stable traffic flow in Kampala city through construction of the traffic control centre and improvement of 30 critical junctions with signalized intersections.
“The project is very timely because it directly addresses the heavy traffic congestion occurring in the downtown Kampala which is one of the biggest challenges for sustainable urban development,” said Kasaija.
The Minister said the grant agreement for the main component of the project between the two governments is expected to be signed by the end of the year 2019.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Executive Senior Vice President, Kazuhiko Koshikawa signed on behalf of Japan. JICA Executive Senior Vice President, said the traffic control centre will be the first of its kind in East Africa, adding that they expect Kampala to become the leading city in the area of traffic control.
Some junctions to be worked on include: Mulago Round about,Kubiri,Grand Imperial,Nasser Rd,Station Rd and Equatorial/Kyaggwe Rd.
Others junctions are Spear Motors, Nakawa, UMEME headquarters, Kubiri, Equatorial/Kyaggwe road, Nigeria Embassy/Nakasero road and Kyaggwe road/Buganda road.
“At least 4 million people in Uganda will benefit from this project. The project will reduce severe congestion which is one of the urgent issues the city has laid out in the second National Development Plan,” Kazuhiko said.
The project is to be implemented in partnership with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
The Acting Executive Director, KCCA, Andrew Kitaka, thanked the Government of Japan for the grant to improve traffic flow in the city
