The Uganda National Road Authority has initiated a feasibility study for the tarmacking of the Gulu-Moroto Road. On Friday, a team led by Eng. Andrew Kyambadde signed an agreement with the Gulu City Authority to begin the study.
The 397.85-kilometer road starts from Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Gulu City, passes through Omoro and Pader, crosses Agago, and connects with Abim District before stretching northeast to Kotido and Moroto. This road is one of the oldest trade routes connecting Acholi Land to Karamoja Sub Region, easing trade in the regions, mainly cereals being ferried to the semi-arid Karamoja region before the war.
During the insurgency waged against the Uganda Government by the Lord Resistance Army, the road was abandoned by traders and other road users as the area became infested by rebels. Trapped in its poor state for years after the communities returned from internally displaced people’s camps, the road has remained a public outcry as the government failed to allocate funds for rehabilitation.
The current feasibility study will consider tarmacking about 120 kilometers of the road from Gulu via Omoro connecting to Rackoko Trading Centre in Pader District. Gulu City Mayor Alfred Okwonga noted that the City Council Authority has already signed paperwork with the Uganda National Road Authority to allow them to commence the study.
Once completed, construction is expected to begin from the city.
The Omoro County Member of Parliament, Andrew Ojok Oulanyah, commended the government for finally considering tarmacking the road after years of engagement by the District leaders. The Speaker of the Omoro District Local Government, Richard Bongowat Luganya, also confirmed the development and applauded the move by the Government.
“Some of the areas will be purely on road reserve but there are those who will be affected by the project and the study will determine how the compensation,” Luganya added. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in 12 months, during which the technical team will establish the scope of work and the road design.
UNRA Public Relations Officer Allan Ssempebwe Kyobe confirmed the development and stated that the technical team would then have to look at the cost of the Bill of Quantities to ascertain the cost of the project implementation for approval by the Parliament.
“We have taken the first step and we expect to accomplish this study within the period provided before we begin the actual construction work,” Ssempebwa told Uganda Radio Network on Saturday.
