Authorities have launched a fresh enforcement drive along the proposed Kampala–Jinja Expressway corridor, marking a decisive step toward the long-delayed construction of one of Uganda’s biggest road infrastructure projects.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has confirmed that its enforcement teams are now actively on the ground, working to clear the right of way needed for the multibillion-shilling expressway that is expected to transform transport between the capital and eastern Uganda.
According to officials, some residents and business owners along the planned route have already begun voluntarily dismantling buildings and relocating property in anticipation of the construction works, following government notices issued earlier.
The 95-kilometre expressway is designed to connect the Kampala Southern Bypass at Munyonyo to Jinja, with plans for multi-lane sections ranging from four to eight lanes depending on traffic demand along different stretches.
Government estimates place the project cost between $1.1 billion and $1.55 billion, equivalent to roughly Shs4 trillion to Shs5 trillion, making it one of the most expensive road developments in Uganda’s history.
The expressway is being developed under a Public-Private Partnership model, with expected financial participation from international institutions including the African Development Bank, the European Union, and other development partners alongside private investors.
Despite its strategic importance, the project has faced prolonged delays over financing disputes, procurement hurdles, and policy disagreements, including past directives from President Yoweri Museveni discouraging external borrowing in favour of alternative funding arrangements.
As clearing operations intensify, the Ministry of Works and Transport has maintained that rehabilitation works on the existing Kampala–Jinja highway will continue temporarily, even as preparations for the new expressway move closer to full implementation.
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