KAMPALA, May 1, 2024 – Parliament has approved a government request to borrow about 110.5 million Euros [about Shs 450 billion] from Standard Chartered Bank to finance the tarmacking of Kitgum-Kidepo Road.
The 115-kilometre road connects Kitgum district in Northern Uganda and Kaabong district in Northeastern Uganda.
The motion for the approval was presented on Tuesday by the Minister of State for Finance [General Duties], Henry Musasizi, during the plenary sitting presided over by Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among.
Musasizi said that upgrading the road has been prioritised to promote tourism by facilitating movement of tourists visiting Kidepo Valley National Park found in Karamoja Sub-region.
He added that this will also contribute to regional development of Karamoja Sub-region, which is one of the highest poverty stricken sub regions in the country.
Musasizi said that upgrading the road will not only ease movement to South Sudan and Kenya, but will also improve and promote trade between Uganda and her two neighbours.
He said although tourism remains one of the best performing sectors of the economy, its potential has not been adequately exploited due to inadequate tourism infrastructure such as roads making tourists to travel through poor gravel to reach the national parks.
The Members of Parliament were however expressed unhappiness that the House Committee on National Economy, to which the loan request had been referred for scrutiny, had not done so and had not reported on the motion.
The Government Chief Whip, Denis Hamson Obua, moved a motion to waive the requirement, paving way for the debate without the report.
The MPs, led by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Senyonyi, Jonathan Odur, the Erute County South MP, and Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda among others argued that proceeding without a report would set a bad precedent.
“Many times government enters into problematic agreements. The matter was sent to the Committee but the committee has not produced a report,” said Ssenyonyi who doubles as Nakawa West MP.
https://thecooperator.news/mps-irked-by-poor-state-of-zombo-roads/
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