The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has awarded a consortium of Chinese companies a contract for construction of the US $146m Mpigi-Busega expressway in Kampala.
UNRA executive director Allen Kagina said the choice was reached after careful evaluation of the companies after CMC Di Ravenna/Advent run into financial crisis and couldn’t continue with the project.
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Awarded companies
The awarded companies include; China Railway 19th Bureau Group Company Limited and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). The highway project is being funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“We agreed with AfDB to review bids and zero down based on the documents they submitted. Luckily for us, CCECC quoted a price within our range. The selection marks the end of a tumultuous procurement process after complaints from whistleblowers which delayed the process,” said Ms. Kagina.
Busega-Mpigi Expressway
The 23.7KM Busega-Mpigi Expressway is part of the Northern Corridor, East Africa’s transport network which will connect Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, and Sudan. It will be designed to consist of four lanes, dual carriageway and will have four major interchanges to facilitate interconnection at points such as Maya, Nsangi, Nabbingo and Lugala in Wakiso District off the Northern Bypass and the Entebbe-Expressway which is also being constructed.
The road upon completion projected to take 36 months and another 12 defects liability period, will traffic out of the congested and polluted Kampala City. UNRA has also signed a board consultant firm which will design, review and supervise the project for US $3.1m. About 490 people will be affected by the project, according to UNRA records.
