Government has tabled before Parliament a loan request worth 2.26 trillion Shillings (US Dollars 608.66 million) to upgrade roads in Greater Kampala.

David Bahati, the Minister of State for Trade tabled the loan request during the Wednesday plenary sitting.

The loan is being sought from the World Bank and Agence Francaise de Development (ADB) to finance the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme.

Once accessed, the finances will aid improvement of road infrastructure within Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Mpigi, including the municipalities of Entebbe, Kira, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Nansana and Mukono.

Through the program, government seeks to address challenges of flooding, traffic congestion, un-signalized junctions and poor road infrastructure among others.

The program also seeks to upgrade strategic interconnecting roads measuring 611 kilometres, junctions, drainage channels, markets and workspaces in order to improve the Greater Kampala Metropolitan area productivity and livability for sustainable social economic development.

The transit corridors to be undertaken are Kampala-Jinja Expressway and Kampala-Southern by-pass, Kampala-Bombo Expressway, Nakasero-Kampala Northern by-pass, Kampala outer-belt ring road and Kampala fly-over Phase II.

Bahati says that the planned upgrading of the roads will be part of the domestic revenue mobilization strategy aimed at marketing and promoting the use of rental properties that are outside the central business district.

“The programe will also contribute to addressing environmental degradation and flooding in this region through construction of climate and disaster resilient infrastructure, planting of trees and construction of drainage channels, and greening of some of the areas along the road reserves,” said the Minister.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa referred the loan proposal to the House Committees of National Economy and Presidential Affairs for scrutiny.