KWEEN – With nearly 90 percent of the needed land acquisitions in place, the biggest obstacle for completion of a new Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road has finally been removed.
The Turkish construction firm, Polat Yol Yapi now says it is on course to meet its plan of constructing the more than 92.2 kilometers of Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road by 2023.
Polat Yol Yapi, signed a contract with the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) in November 2019 to tarmac the 92.2km from Muyembe to Nakapiripirit in 36 months, the road is set to facilitate connect Bugisu sub-region to Karamoja.
The overall objectives of making this road Tarmac are to support economic development, reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs and improve road safety.
Mr. Edip Yenen the project manager Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road told PML Daily that although UNRA thinks that they are behind schedule and might not complete the road in the contract time of three years, the company insists they will complete the road within the three years.
“We feel confident that the project is now on the right track and the Contractor is on ground after Covid 19 disturbances, we have set up a camp, recruited staff, we have completed bush clearing, technical works like carrying out topographic surveys and re-establishment of the bench marks and we have now embarked on the road expansion and construction itself,” said Mr. Yenen
“And we are is fully mobilized towards completion of works by close of 2023, the contract completion date,” he added.
A report accessed by PML Daily on Civil Works for upgrading of Muyembe- Nakapiripirit road [92Km] from gravel to paved [Bituminous] standard dated August 2021 says that the valuation report for the quarry has been approved by the Central Government Valuer for materials.
“But we only await NEMA approval with the Environment Impact Assessment [EIA] report for us start breaking the rock for use on the road and despite this we are busy graveling the road in preparation for Bituminous [Tarmac],” the report says in part.
The report reveals that equipment mobilization to meet the Programme of works stands at only 34% and that when equipment for different activities are grouped and weighed, the effective mobilization is even lower than what it is supposed to be.
A progress report adds that the status of the activities like clearing and grubbing-removal of trees and stumps stands at 26.0%, Common excavation for benching at 10.9%, Roadbed preparation at 4.0%m the G7 fill for lower subgrade [First and 2nd layer] at 38.1% and that the monthly maintenance of the existing road stands at 26.7%.
The residents are happy because they had fears that the contractual issues that had erupted between the employer and the contractor would make it impossible to have the road constructed and completed on time.
“We are very excited. The works are going on smoothly. If the project proceeds at this pace, we shall have a smooth ride next year,” Mr Zacharia Lorot a resident of Namalu in Nakapiripirit district said over the weekend.
“We are satisfied with the work going on so far because the road has been made motorable better than before,” John Makwali, a businessman along the road said.
“I can now drive to Nakapiripirit and come back without any problem because the pothole have been removed, the bushes removed apart from a few places,” said Saidi Mukhwana, a taxi driver who has been driving along the Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road since 2003.
Adding that “And the road activities have somehow also improved earnings among the locals, Sales have shot up since the start of the project,”
Mr. Pius Bagaza, the local representative of the Turkish Company M/S Polat Yol when asked about the speed at which the road is moving, he said that as the company, they are so happy that the problems that had created delays have all been cleared, the reason they intend to complete the road within scheduled time.
He said the company is extremely grateful to the UNRA current management for resolving issues that had tried to delay construction of the road.
Eng. Arafat Magdad Saad, the contractor manager said Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road is going to be one of the strongest roads in the country because it’s based on strong design and plans.
Regarding the allegations of sexual abuse, Mr Bagaza described the rumours as baseless being traded by some local leaders who had interest in using the contract to provide jobs for their voters.
“And if this was true, they would have taken this to police but we don’t have any case at police that there is sexual harassment here but we have employed many people from within three districts of Bulambuli, Kween and Nakapiripirit [with more people coming from Kween] and technical people from out,” said Mr Bagaza.
FACTS
Since 2008, the Ugandan government has invested heavily in new infrastructure, mainly roads, to accelerate the socio-economic development of the country.
With more than 15 years of experience in Uganda, Polat Yol Yapi,, a Turkish construction Company has been awarded the contract to Tarmac Muyembe-Nakapiripirit road projects.
About the 92Km Muyembe-Nakapiripirit Road
The construction works is funded through a loan from the Islamic Development Bank to a tune of sh399.9bn that is supposed to have kicked off in 2020 and are expected to take three years up to 30 March, 2023.
A Turkish construction firm, Polat Yol Yapi, signed a contract with the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) in November 2019 to tarmac the 92.2km route of Muyembe to Nakapiripirit.
The company has already been advanced Shs 60 billion to kick start the works and the road will go through the districts of Muyembe, Kween and Nakapiripirit before connecting to Moroto-Nakapiripirit tarmac road at Nakapiripirit, this will make Karamoja sub-region to be accessed by Tarmac.
