East African Business Week

Kampala, Uganda -While addressing the National Budget conference in Kampala recently, Finance Minister Ms Syda Bbumba, said government will give priority to public interventions that will stimulate growth and create jobs to reduce unemployment among the youth.  
Citing the transport sector as one of the interventions crucial to Uganda's ultimate goal of attaining middle-income status, Bbumba said the government will maintain similar budgetary allocation the sector has been enjoying over the last two financial years.
Within the last two financial years, the government allocated Shs2 trillion ($2bi) to the road sector.
But as the 2011/12 financial year draws near, government has lined up a number of projects for implementation. Key among the overriding objectives of the budget, are the interstate roads.
Some of the major infrastructure projects that will be undertaken during the year include; the construction of highways between Kampala and Entebbe, Jinja and Mpigi Districts and construction of key bridges across the country including the new Nile Bridge in Jinja.
According to Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), a body responsible for the management, operation development and maintenance of the country's National classified road network, construction works have started on the Entebbe highway.
 UNRA's Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Dan Alinange, says the new 51 km Entebbe highway will have four lanes and six lanes in some busy areas.
"It will also have about 4km of bridges around the mash lands of Lake Victoria and four major interchanges," Alinange said.
The total cost of the road is estimated at $300m financed by the Exim Bank of China. Uganda government is seeking for an endorsement from Parliament to enable it secure a loan of Shs1.5 trillion for the construction of new roads and a new bridge on River Nile in Jinja.