The Kampala–Jinja Expressway is a proposed four-lane toll highway in Uganda, linking Kampala, the capital city, with the city of Jinja in the Eastern Region of Uganda. Construction was expected to begin in 2015, with commissioning planned for 2020.
The expressway will be a toll road, with vehicles that use it needing fittings with electronic billing devices. The construction contract will be awarded once the core investor in the toll road is identified and approved.
In June 2016, the government of France, through the French Development Agency (AFD), agreed to lend €180 million to the Ugandan government, towards the construction of this toll expressway. Construction was planned to begin in 2017.
In November 2018, the total project cost of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway and the Kampala Southern Bypass Highway was quoted at US$1.55 billion. The funds were raised through a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
Reported in July 2014
COMESA sets aside US$74m for Kampala-Jinja highway, Uganda
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has indicated that the Kampala-Jinja highway is going to be one of the beneficiaries of the six projects to be developed by the bloc in the region. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$74m, which is part of the US$8b, cost of six projects.
The announcement came during a financial summit for Africa’s Infrastructure in Dakar, Senegal.
The six projects were selected by the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), whose main objective is to promote socioeconomic development and poverty reduction in Africa through improved access to integrated regional and continental infrastructure networks and services. The projects are to be completed by 2020.
An estimated amount of US$68 billion would be required for the implementation of the 16 priority projects identified by the PIDA Priority Action Programme until 2020. The Kampala–Jinja Expressway is a proposed four-lane toll highway in Uganda, linking the capital and largest city Kampala in Central Uganda with the town of Jinja in Eastern Uganda.
The new road will help decongest the old Kampala-Jinja road that forms part of the Trans-African highway. Upon completion, the road will cover eight lanes between Nakawa-Kyambogo, Kyambogo-Lugazi (six lanes), and Lugazi-Jinja (four lanes) and feed into the Kampala-Entebbe expressway via the Southern Bypass.
Reported in June 2016
France pledges US$ 204m for construction of Kampala-Jinja expressway in Uganda
The French government has pledged to contribute US$ 204m through its public bank and overseas development agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) for the development of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway in Uganda which is set to be constructed in 2017.
The AFD’s country representative, Ms. Virgnie Leroy confirmed the reports and said that they will work with the Ministry of Finance to find an allocation for the money since the project is one of the interesting and exciting initiatives by the Ugandan government.
“The project is one of the exciting undertakings by the government of Uganda and we are ready to offer them any help they need,” Ms. Leroy said. She further pointed out that there will be a need to consider a number of aspects that will require financing including environmental studies, studies for the resettlement action plan, and others.
The development project is estimated to cost US$ 238m and the funds from AFD will fit in on the side of the government through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
The Kampala-Jinja Expressway which is projected to be 77km will start from Nakawa in Kampala and connect to Jinja Township and sections of the road will have four to eight lanes at various points. For instance, there will be six lanes between Bweyogerere and Lugazi and a dual carriage between Lugazi and Jinja.
The construction of the Expressway will also go hand-in-hand with the building of the Kampala Southern Bypass which is an 18km road that will begin at Butabika on the eastern outskirts of Kampala and connect to the New Kampala-Jinja Expressway and finally end at Munyonyo the new Entebbe-Kampala Expressway which is under construction.
The Uganda National Roads Authority executive director, Ms. Allen Kagina, said that they had planned to shop for a contractor in March but were faced with some challenges including the restructuring that was going on and the main one being the approval of the Resettlement Action Plan and the Environmental Impact Assessment plan. However, they currently are in process of securing a consultant to come and update it and they hope to go to the market later in the year and construction to commence in early 2017.
Reported in November 2018
Uganda to receive US $229.5m for the Kampala- Jinja Express project
Uganda is set to receive the whooping US $229.5m funds for the construction of phase one of the Kampala- Jinja express project, following approval from the African Development Bank to finance the project.
The Uganda National Roads Authority confirmed the reports and said the expressway, which forms part of the northern trade corridor from Mombasa in Kenya to Kigali in Rwanda, will form Uganda’s position as a regional transit hub, supporting its ambition to propel its economy into middle-income status by 2020.
Uganda’s second national development plan
In a report, the AfDB stated that the financing will support Uganda’s second national development plan 2015-2020 which aims to strengthen the country’s competitiveness for sustainable wealth creation, inclusive growth, and jobs creation. It also aims at facilitating the efficient movement of passengers and freight across the country to support growth objectives.
The proposed 95-kilometer Kampala Jinja Expressway (KJE), was designed to an expressway standard, in line with Vision 2040 and National Development Plan II as critical for the economic development of Uganda. The total project cost is estimated at US $1.55bn with financing from sovereign and non-sovereign facilities.
Over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs will be created during the construction and operational phases of the project.
Uganda’s road network is the country’s predominant mode of transport and a key enabler of trade and economic activities within the East African Community. The Kampala-Jinja corridor has experienced accelerated development over the last 20 years, and currently experiences traffic overload, registering over 1,000 vehicles per hour per lane, with a consistent breakdown of traffic flows, according to a 2017 study conducted by the Uganda National Roads Authority.
Reported in March 2020
Uganda seeks US $328m for Kampala-Jinja expressway project
The government of Uganda is seeking US $267m for the Kampala-Jinja expressway project. The money is to be obtained from the African Development Bank and the French Agency for Development.
The loan request was presented by Mr. David Bahati, the State minister for Planning. Both loans have a grace period of eight years and 25 years maturity period. However, the tentative interest for the African Development Bank is 2.25% with a commitment fee of 0.25% for the non-disbursed amounts.
On the other hand, money from the French Development Agency will attract a tentative interest of 1.5 percent while failure to pay commitment fees will attract a 0.5 percent annual interest on non-disbursed amounts.
Kampala—Jinja expressway project
The billion-dollar project forms part of the Northern trade corridor from Mombasa in Kenya through Kigali in Rwanda. This is a strategic corridor that serves as a trade link to the sea for land-locked countries of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan as well as the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The initial project preparation commenced with a feasibility study in 2010 before it hit a snag due to unknown reasons. The 95-kilometer (59-mile) Project comprises of:77km of the Kampala—Jinja mainline (KJE) Expressway of 4+4 lanes for the first 32km, and then 2+2 lanes for the remaining 42km with a design speed of up to 120kph and Kampala Southern Bypass (KSB) – an 18km Urban Expressway of 2+2 Lanes with design speed up to 100kph which will start at Butabika, on the Eastern outskirts of Kampala, and link with the new Kampala- Jinja mainline Expressway then connect in Munyonyo.
This project will be the first built in the country using a public-private partnership (PPP) model. This implies that the contractor awarded the contract will design, build and operate the route for 30 years, earning profits by charging tolls before transferring the ownership to the state.
Road transport is by far the most dominant mode of transport in Uganda, carrying over 95% of passenger and freight traffic.
Reported in March 2021
AfDB signs US $229.5m financing agreement for Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Uganda have signed a US $229.5m financing agreement for the first phase of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project, which will cut travel time and boost trade along an important artery linking Uganda with its neighbors.
The Kampala-Jinja Expressway Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Project-Phase I would improve travel flow, thereby “reducing travel time from more than three hours to under one hour” between Jinja and Kampala along the northern corridor linking Uganda to neighbors Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Kenya, said Matia Kasaija, Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Minister Kasaija, who signed the accord on behalf of the government, noted that the African Development Bank was the second-largest multilateral donor to Uganda, contributing 20% of the country’s development assistance in the areas of roads, energy, agriculture, education, health, and sanitation.
He said the Kampala-Jinja road was a major gateway for all imports and exports into and out of Uganda and its successful implementation would spur trade volumes and economic growth in Uganda and among its neighbors.
Supporting Uganda’s development
The Bank’s Country Manager for Uganda, Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, who signed on behalf of the Bank, said the agreement demonstrates the Bank’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s development and enhancing the well-being of its people.
“The Public-Private Partnership model will bring in private sector participation and financing of a key infrastructure in Uganda and will yield a significant economic return for the country with an estimated net revenue of US $2.1bn over the 30-year concession period,” Ngafuan said.
The KJE project would boost local industries, with the agreement stipulating that at least 30% of subcontracting in the project would be awarded to local companies under the Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU) policy. It would create at least 1,500 direct jobs during the construction phase and 250 jobs during the operational phase, Ngafuan said.
The financing of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway Project is part of the Bank’s commitment to improving the quality of life of the people of Africa through regional integration and is in line with its Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022) for Africa.
The project comprises the Kampala-Jinja Mainline Expressway and the Kampala Southern Urban Bypass (KSB). The works will be implemented in two sections: Section 1 is an urban expressway including KSB (18km) and 35km of the main expressway from Kampala to Namagunga. Section 2 is a rural motorway covering 42km from Namagunga to Jinja.
The proposed concession period is 30 years, including an eight-year construction period. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) is the executing agency and has already commenced the procurement of a private concessionaire on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) basis under the Availability Payment PPP model.
