President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has instructed local governments to stop using their annual road maintenance funds for bridge rehabilitation, announcing plans to create a separate fund dedicated to bridges.
Currently, each district receives 1.3 billion shillings annually for routine road maintenance. Museveni said this amount is insufficient to cover both road and bridge repairs.
“Maintain a road that is already done — open it, grade it — that is okay. But not so for bridges. We need new money, separate money,” the President emphasized.
“You make a bridge, you hand it over, and then it is maintained. The problem is that people mix up and don’t discuss clearly.”
Museveni made these remarks during Women’s Day celebrations in Bunyangabu District, responding to complaints from district officials about unfulfilled infrastructure pledges.
James Ategeka, Bunyangabu District LC5 Chairperson, highlighted frustrations with previous bridge rehabilitation efforts. Despite Museveni’s earlier pledge of 4 billion shillings for the project, Ministry of Works officials and the Road Fund had hindered progress.
“You pledged 4 billion shillings, Your Excellency. But they don’t follow up,” Ategeka said.
“It was a policy-level issue, but there was no written directive.”
Agreeing with the concern, Museveni stressed the importance of formal documentation:
“Let me put it in writing clearly, because these memoranda and requests were verbal,” he said.
“Put them in a document so that I respond officially and we get that money for the bridges.”
He cited examples of existing special funds for regions with unique needs, such as Northern Uganda, Karamoja, and Rwenzori:
“If there is a specific reason for the area, then we plan for it separately — in addition to the regular [funds], because the 1.3 billion is for routine [maintenance].”