UNRA to Begin Work on Major Bridges by Moses Nampala

INFRASTRUCTURE NEW VISION, Monday, April 8, 2019 3 Wasswa and Kyewalabye are part of the UNRA team Kibimba bridge in Bugiri district will be upgraded by the Uganda National Roads Authority UNRA to begin work on major bridges By Moses Nampala The Government is set to reconstruct three key bridges in eastern Uganda. They include Kibimba bridge in Bugiri, Sironko bridge on Mbale-Sironko-Kapchorwa highway and Chololo bridge in Karamoja sub-region. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) last month handed over the three bridge sites to Terrain Services Ltd, Uganda the contractor, to undertake the National work at a cost of sh37b. Roads The move to reconstruct the Authority bridges that are over 40years ofocials old was prompted by the at the site increased trafoc pow, much of of Sironko which is caused by heavy duty bridge cargo trucks. during the The Bugiri of Kibimba bridge handover of lies on the trade route from the project Kenya that can be accessed to the through the border points of contractor Malaba and Busia. “The Sironko and Chololo region. “If originally Tororo the contractor to build a originates from the steep rock constructed in 1974, handles bridges are crucial because they Cement had 100 trucks that temporary diversion that must hills that constitute the Elgon heavy trafoc pow. Among are both enroute to Sebei and regularly ferried cement raw not be more than 500 metres mountain range. the daily trafoc pow are cargo Karamoja sub-regions, which materials from Kaseremu and from the site. The 12.3 metre-long bridge trucks from neighbouring have raw materials for the Amudat in one day, emergence “The old narrow bridges are which 7.8 metres wide, is Kenya that are destined for cement industry,” UNRA’s Eng. of other players in the sector not only past their lifespan, but supported by steel beams, but a Uganda and other neighbouring Stephen Kyewalabye explained. means the trafoc caused by have also developed glaring closer look at its aged concrete countries, such as Rwanda, trucks ferrying raw materials cracks. The contractor is walls reveals glaring cracks. Burundi and Southern Sudan. CEMENT INDUSTRY from Kaserem and Amudat The old arrow obliged to demolish and replace Budadiri East constituency Kibimba River drains excess has increased,” Kyewalabye “ them with expansive bridges MP Vincent Waboya said the water from Lake Kimira in The cement industry has grown from one player to four. They explains. bridges are with a lifespan of 100 years,” reconstruction of the bridge was Bugiri district. The volume of all get their raw material from not only past Kyewalabye says. timely. the water in the river is scaled Karamoja region. UNRA’S ROLE Paul Wasswa, the Terrain “At the height of the rainy up by torrential rain water The Tororo Cement Industry Kyewalabye, however, was their lifespan Services quantity surveyor, says season, the spot of the river from innumerable wetlands enjoyed monopoly before it quick to observe that UNRA they will use the orst six months where the bridge lies poods from different parts of Busoga was joined by Hima, Simba and as an entity mandated by but have also of the three-year timeframe to and at times the poods cut subregion. Kibimba River also Kampala cement industries. the Government to manage, developed study the sites. off the route for hours,” drains nto River Mpologoma. “Like Tororo Cement, the maintain and develop the Waboya explains. Its volume Wasswa observed that the newcomers in the industry road network countrywide, glaring cracks. SIRONKO BRIDGE of water, however, increased proposed new architectural have since acquired possallana had the responsibility to meet Sironko bridge lies 40km along considerably, fed by a litany of bridge designs captured the rock raw material sites at the current and forecast trafoc The contractor the Mbale-Sironko- Kapchorwa streams originating from various necessary adjustment. Kaserem in Kapchorwa (Sebei demands on the roads. is obliged to highway. hills in Sironko. sub-region),” Kyewalabye “It is UNRA’s strategy to It was constructed in the 1960s The river then traverses Mbale OTHER PROJECTS explained. improve on the structural demolish and over River Sironko, which and Bududa districts then Similar projects undertaken by The possalana rock is a raw and performance levels to joins River Manafwa, before UNRA include Moyo Nyawa material in the production of be commensurate to the replace them it continues to Tororo and bridge, Ndaiaga bridge on cement. development and resource sh37b Butaleja districts to join River the Bugiri-Malaba highway, Apart from the possallana access demands of the country,” with expansive Mpologoma in Namutumba Kabaale bridge on the rock material, cement industries he said. bridges with a Budget district. River Mpologoma Kyankwanzi-Ngoma highway also obtain a crucial valuable According to Kyewalabye, the The estimated cost drains into Lake Kyoga. and Manfwa bridge on the granite rock stone needed in contractor is expected to onish lifespan of 100 for reconstruction of Tororo-Mbale highway. the production of cement from the work in the next three years. Kibimba, Sironko and KIBIMBA BRIDGE UNRA will supervise the Amudat in Karamoja sub- The scope of works compels years Chololo bridges The Kibimba bridge, projects to completion..

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