Kampala, Uganda – The Ministry of Works and Transport has officially handed over the newly built Kampala Flyover to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to be operated and maintained. This is a significant move towards contributing to the mitigation of traffic congestion in the city and improving the general transport system.

The event was chaired by Eng. Stephen Kiwanuka Kitonsa, Acting Engineer in Chief and Commissioner of Roads and Bridges in the Ministry of Works. He stated that the flyover project aimed to improve traffic movement in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area and the Central Business District. The project includes a flyover, an underpass, pedestrian bridges, upgraded roads, upgraded drainage systems, and upgraded junctions. Eng. Kitonsa verified that the project is 99.75 percent complete, with civil works valued at about shs299 billion (USD 81 million).

During the official handover, KCCA was presented with several key structures. They include the Clock Tower Flyover, 584 meters long with a 366-meter bridge section built for two lanes, and the Shoprite Pedestrian Bridge, a uniquely shaped 92-meter-long bridge built for pedestrian protection. Transferred also were the Clock Tower Pedestrian Bridge (229m in length), the Kibuli Pedestrian Bridge (40m in length), and the Nsambya Underpass, a four-lane underpass, 360 meters long, with an open-cut box culvert of 132 meters. Apart from these amenities, the new Clock Tower, wider and upgraded roads totaling 2,920 meters, and five signalized intersections at Shoprite, Clock Tower, Nsambya, Hospital, and Kibuli Overpass also featured in the handover.

In aid of KCCA in maintenance of the infrastructure, the Ministry of Works also provided a street sweeper truck, a drain pipe cleaner truck, two high-pressure washers, and two road patrol cars.

Even though the completion of the project is a milestone, Eng. Kitonsa feared that the new infrastructure is misused and vandalized. He explained that steel steps for access maintenance manholes have been stolen, making it difficult to clean culverts once they are blocked. He also stated that street vendors are blocking pedestrian walkways, causing individuals to walk over landscaped surfaces, which is destroying the beautification process.

Among other problems are theft of maintenance access doors on flyover streetlight poles, encroachment of vagrants underneath the flyover, and reckless usage of the roads by boda boda cyclists. He warned that it would shorten the life of the flyover and cause safety risks.

“We need to sensitize in large numbers to educate the public on how to utilize roads effectively because such problems compromise the durability and security of this essential infrastructure,” Kitonsa stated.

Speaking on behalf of the KCCA Executive Director, Justus Akankwasa, the KCCA Director of Engineering, assured that the authority is committed to keeping the infrastructure in the best condition possible. He noted that KCCA has set up specialized units under its Directorate of Engineering and Technical Services to manage bridges, roads, drainage, landscaping, and traffic lights.

“We as KCCA promise to take care of this infrastructure with the highest degree of professionalism and care. We have been totally engaged in putting this project together and acknowledge the huge cost and expertise that went into attaining this achievement. We will be deliberate in the manner in which we preserve and take care of this public good,” Akankwasa explained.

He added that KCCA is constructing more projects of such scale to decongest traffic in the city even more and improve mobility.

Both Akankwasa and Eng. Kitonsa thankfully recognized key partners for their assistance towards the project. They thanked the government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for technical and financial support. They also recognized the efforts of the Shimizu/Konoike Joint Venture, which handled the construction, and the Nippon Koei, Eight Japan Engineering Company, and ICS consultants, who monitored the project.

With the official takeover, KCCA now fully owns the flyover and its amenities. This is a new era for Kampala’s urban transport system, with expectations that the flyover will ease traffic, enhance road safety, and make travel across the city more efficient.

The success of this project also depends not only on the upkeep of KCCA but on the collaboration of the public to ensure the infrastructure is functional and safe. If maintained properly, this flyover will be utilized by Kampala’s residents for the next decades, transforming how people move around the city.