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Up until August 2020, most of the road was gravel-surfaced in varying stages of disrepair. In September 2020, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) signed a contract with Chinese Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO), a Chinese contractor, to upgrade the Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road to class II bitumen standard with shoulders, drainage channels, and culverts.

The project is estimated to cost USh200.3 billion (approx. US$54.52 million). The period of construction works is expected to last three years.

This road is part of the 101 kilometres (63 miles) of the Kampala Outer Beltway Project which is one of 10 expressways being constructed by the government to decongest traffic in Kampala city and the surrounding metropolitan area.

The Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road starts at Kyaliwajjala junction running westwards through Kira, crossing the Kampala-Gayaza road at Kasangati in Wakiso district and terminating at Matugga on the Kampala-Bombo Highway.

The roadworks comprises the Kira-Kasangati-Matugga section, Najjera-Buwate Spur with a loop connecting Family Care access road to Najjera-Buwate spur.

The project will also involve the provision of a two-meter segregated walkway and another two-meter bicycle lane on each side of the road, in addition to the construction of bicycle racks and bodaboda stages at each of the signalized junctions between Kyaliwajjala and Matugga.

The project also involves improvement of Junctions that feed into the main project road.

The scope of construction works includes:

• upgrading the 2 kilometre section between Kira and Kyaliwajjala from the existing 2-lane single carriageway to a 4-lane dual carriageway with a median and provision of walkways and cycle lanes  (safety measures intended to reduce road conflicts & traffic related crashes);
• construction roundabout junctions at Kyaliwajjala, Kira, Kasangati and Matugga, and installation of traffic lights at the roundabout junctions;
• improvement of Erisa, Mpererwe, Kyanja, Gayaza, and Kasangati junctions on the Kampala-Gayaza stretch;

Allen Kagina, UNRA executive director, is reported to have stated at the contract signing ceremony that “This will be the first urban road to have segregated pedestrian walkways and bicycle lanes which will enhance the safety of the pedestrians and cyclists”. Furthermore, the road will be installed with a solar power lighting system.

Photo: President Yoweri Museveni flagging off construction works on Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road project (@UNRA_UG Twitter handle)

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