Gov’t to Divert Trucks to Mirama Hills to Finish Construction Of Katuna One Stop Border Post
By Moses Agaba
Kabale: Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African affairs has said that government is considering to divert cargo trucks from Katuna border post to Mirama hills border post to give ample time to the contractor to finish the construction of the Katuna one stop border post.
Kadaga says that after government getting concerned about how the Katuna border one stop post has taken over 7 years to be complete but following the resolution of the cabinet in July to find out why the works were delayed they visited the border town and discovered various reason for the delay cabinet assigned her and the four other ministers Raphael Magezi of Local Government Minister, Rtd Major General Jim Muhwezi of Security Minister and Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala o the minister Works and Transport to go for verification mission.
“We got a report that the border post has been under construction for the last 7 years when you look at our side and the side of Rwanda is already doe we came to establish how border post can be under construction for the last 7 years and still not complete”. Said Kadaga.
Kadaga says that they discovered that the construction of the Katuna one border post was constructed in a wetland as government didn’t allow time for the ground to first get firm before they begin the construction they didn’t allow its time ,
She says that the delay was also the withdrawal of the World Bank and European Union as this also cause the delay saying that now what government has to do is to speed up by providing more funds.
Kadaga says that they are to present their finding to cabinet as one of the proposal is that the government to temporary divert traffic to Mirama border post in Ntungamo so that the contractor be given time to finish up the works on the one border post and rectify some defects like the team discovered that tarmacked road that is under construction at the parking yard had developed cracks already even the roof at the verandah was leaking.
“Government has to speed up on the funding as we have identified strategies for handling it and we hope that by end of year a little bit of it will be complete we are also going to divert the cargo traffic to Mirama hills so that we also give them time to complete, we are going to cabinet in a fortnight we shall issue instructions on the changes “. Said Kadaga.
Kadaga revealed when she visited Katuna border town accompanied by Four cabinet ministers Raphael Magezi the Local Government Minister, Rtd Major General Jim Muhwezi the Security Minister and Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala the minister Works and Transport to carry out a verification mission on the construction works at the Katuna one-stop border post with Rwanda.
Eng Robert Joseph Eyatu of the Amugoli General enterprises Limited attributed the cracks on the tarmacked part to the heavy trucks that overweight the concrete that was laid only three days before the border reopening in February 2022.
They argued that when the border re-opened, tracks started stepping on the concrete that had not yet gained strength claiming that trucks started crossing on the concrete three days after laying it, instead of after 28 days required for it to fully gain strength
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