Complete Katonga Bridge by July 2027, Government Tells Chinese Firm
The government has given China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) up to July 2027 to complete construction works on the new permanent bridge over River Katonga on the Kampala-Masaka Highway.
The government has granted China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) a deadline of July 2027 to finish the construction of the new permanent bridge over the River Katonga on the Kampala-Masaka Highway.
The Shs191 billion contract was awarded to CCCC and the company has already developed a new design for the bridge.
According to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the contractor has kicked off works at sections of Lwera and Kalandazi on the highway, which are currently in a poor state.
“The contractor has been on site since July last year and currently, the excavation and rock fill for embankment is in progress at Katonga and the same is being done at Lwera and Kalandazi. We are optimistic that the remaining contractual period will be enough to complete the work,” Mr. Allan Ssempebwa, a communications officer at the Works ministry said”.
Currently, motorists going to Masaka are using the temporary steel bridge while those from Kampala use the old concrete bridge. The steel bridge was erected parallel to the existing old concrete bridge, part of which was swept away by flash floods last year.
Mr. Sulaiman Ahmed, a long-distance truck driver transporting cargo to the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the steel bridge appears to be weakening and urged CCCC to expedite construction works on the permanent concrete bridge.
“When you are crossing [the steel bridge] in a heavy truck like mine, you can feel that you are not safe. We just pray that work is expeditiously done and we return to the concert bridge,” he said
But Mr. Ssempebwa allayed the fears of motorists, saying the contractor has undertaken geological and other technical investigations on the site.
“The steel bridge is safe. Also, it is safe to conclude that the works are progressing as planned, aligning with the objective of constructing larger, more robust, and efficient drainage systems across these three locations all designed to withstand flooding for generations to come,” he added.
CCCC constructed the steel bridge as a temporary measure as it embarks on works for a permanent one.
