The Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Ministry is gearing up for major infrastructural development projects in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, funded by loans from the World Bank and the French Development Agency. To prepare for these projects, the ministry has embarked on a local benchmarking tour to areas where similar projects have been implemented.
Led by Minister Hajat Minsa Kabanda, the ministry’s delegation visited Masaka City Council on Monday to observe the implementation of projects under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme (USMID), focusing on markets, street lighting, urban roads, and drainage networks.
The purpose of the tour, which will extend to Mbarara city and Isingiro district is to learn from both the successes and challenges faced during the implementation of similar projects. Kabanda explained that the ministry aims to gather valuable insights and knowledge that will facilitate the effective implementation of the upcoming projects in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.
Monica Ejua Edemachu, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, emphasizes the importance of understanding the intricacies of the already implemented World Bank-funded projects to guide the upcoming programme effectively. She highlights the need for their teams to meet the minimum performance measures set as part of the programme’s financing conditionality.
However, Abbey Ssembajjwe, the Assistant Technical Engineer of Masaka City, raises concern about the sustainability of the infrastructure projects. He urges the ministry to develop a comprehensive maintenance plan to ensure that the modern infrastructure does not deteriorate over time due to limited budgetary allocations for repair and renovation works.
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