The government has secured \u20ac110.5 million (approximately Shs481 billion) in financing for the long-awaited Kitgum\u2013Kidepo Road, a major infrastructure project expected to transform transport, tourism, trade and industrial development across Northern Uganda and the Karamoja sub-region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The financing agreement was signed on Monday by Finance Minister Henry Musasizi and Sanjay Rughani, marking a significant milestone in government’s efforts to improve road infrastructure in one of Uganda’s least connected regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 115.8-kilometre Kitgum\u2013Kidepo Road is expected to improve connectivity between Northern Uganda and Karamoja, reduce transport costs, facilitate regional trade and enhance access to key tourism and industrial destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Musasizi described the financing package as a demonstration of the shared commitment between government and its financial partners to unlock the economic potential of Northern Uganda and the Karamoja sub-region through strategic infrastructure investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the minister, the road will significantly reduce travel times, lower the cost of doing business and provide a critical transport corridor that supports Uganda’s broader economic transformation agenda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that the project will also contribute to the implementation of the African Transport Market Strategy (ATMS) by improving regional connectivity and facilitating the movement of goods and people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Musasizi said the new road is expected to support several large-scale investments already underway or planned in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the most significant is the Yaobai Cement and Clinker Factory in Moroto, a project valued at more than US$300 million, which is expected to become one of the country’s largest industrial investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Improved road infrastructure is expected to ease the transportation of raw materials and finished products, making the investment more competitive while stimulating economic activity across the surrounding districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister also said the road will enhance access to Kidepo Valley National Park, one of Uganda’s premier wildlife destinations renowned for its unique landscapes and rich biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Government believes easier access to the park will boost domestic and international tourism, increase visitor numbers and generate more income for communities surrounding the protected area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project is also expected to complement the development of the US$72 million Kidepo International Airport, another strategic government investment intended to strengthen tourism and improve accessibility to northeastern Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Officials believe the combination of improved road and air transport infrastructure will position the region as a major tourism and investment destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Musasizi emphasized that the project goes beyond road construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Today’s signing is not simply about financing a road. It is about investing in Uganda’s future,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It is about connecting farmers to markets, industries to raw materials, tourists to destinations and businesses to opportunity.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that government and its partners are laying another foundation for “a more productive, competitive and prosperous Uganda.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister said improved connectivity will enable agricultural producers to access markets more efficiently, reduce post-harvest losses and attract private sector investment into value addition industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Businesses operating in Northern Uganda and Karamoja are also expected to benefit from lower logistics costs and improved access to national and regional markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking after signing the financing agreement, Rughani said the deal reflects Standard Chartered Bank Uganda’s continued commitment to financing projects that deliver both economic and social value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the bank remains committed to supporting Uganda’s national development priorities through long-term infrastructure financing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The Kitgum\u2013Kidepo Road is a strategic investment that reinforces our long-term role as a trusted Corporate and Investment Bank,” Rughani said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that infrastructure remains one of the key drivers of sustainable economic growth and regional integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The signing ceremony attracted several senior government officials, underscoring the strategic importance attached to the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among those in attendance were Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama, Trade Minister Sanjay Tanna, Tourism Minister Tom Butime and Lisa Chesney.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The presence of officials responsible for transport, trade, tourism and international partnerships highlighted the cross-sector significance of the road project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Kitgum\u2013Kidepo Road has long been identified as a critical transport corridor capable of accelerating economic growth in Northern Uganda and Karamoja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once completed, the road is expected to improve mobility for residents, facilitate cross-border trade, strengthen supply chains and enhance access to essential social services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Government also expects the improved transport network to encourage private investment, stimulate tourism, create employment opportunities and support industrial development in a region that has historically lagged behind in infrastructure investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The latest financing agreement represents another major investment in Uganda’s transport infrastructure as government continues pursuing projects aimed at improving national connectivity, supporting industrialisation and driving inclusive economic growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The government has secured \u20ac110.5 million (approximately Shs481 billion) in financing for the long-awaited Kitgum\u2013Kidepo Road, a major infrastructure project expected to transform transport, tourism, trade and industrial development across Northern Uganda and the Karamoja sub-region. The financing agreement was signed on Monday by Finance Minister Henry Musasizi and Sanjay Rughani, marking a significant milestone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27983,"featured_media":43005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_paywall_metabox":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[10228,10229,119,10230],"class_list":["post-43004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-kitgum-kidepo-road","tag-sanjay-rughani","tag-uganda-news","tag-yaobai-cement-and-clinker-factory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27983"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43004"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43004\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43006,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43004\/revisions\/43006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ugmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}