President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed local governments to stop using the annual road maintenance funds to rehabilitate bridges, saying a separate fund will be created to handle such infrastructure.
The President said the current allocation of 1.3 billion Shillings per district, disbursed for routine road maintenance, is insufficient to cater for both roads and bridges.
“Maintain a road that is already done — open it, grade it — that is okay. But not so for bridges. We need new money, separate money,” Museveni said.
He made the remarks in Bunyangabu District, where he responded to complaints raised by district leaders over unfulfilled infrastructure pledges.
Bunyangabu District LC5 Chairperson, James Ategeka Mugarama, told the President that previous efforts to rehabilitate bridges in Bunyangabu had been frustrated by officials from the Ministry of Works and the Road Fund, despite Museveni’s earlier pledge of 4 billion Shillings for the project.
“It was a policy-level issue, but there was no written directive.” Museveni agreed with the complaint, noting the need for formal documentation to separate personal pledges from official government commitments.
The President also cited existing precedent for special funding in areas with historical and geographical needs.
“We have special funds for Northern Uganda, Karamoja, Rwenzori, and others. If there is a specific reason for the area, then we plan for it separately — in addition to the regular [funds], because the 1.3 billion is for routine [maintenance],” he explained.