The Ministry of Works and Transport has confirmed that the newly upgraded 66-kilometre Lira–Kamdini road is now complete and awaiting commissioning.
On Wednesday, September 24, the State Minister for Works and Transport, Musa Ecweru inspected the road with the construction team and noted that the section is fully paved, marked, and motorable, an upgrade that promises to ease travel along one of Northern Uganda’s busiest corridors.
The Lira–Kamdini stretch forms part of the World Bank–funded North Eastern Road Corridor Asset Management Project (NERAMP), a 340-kilometre initiative linking Tororo to Kamdini through Mbale, Soroti, Dokolo, and Lira.
The project, described as the longest road construction venture ever undertaken by the Ugandan government, is designed to boost trade and connectivity between Uganda, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Port of Mombasa in Kenya.
While the asphalt is down and the paint is dry, officials say the journey is not over just yet.
Speaking to tndNews on Sunday 28, Allan Sempebwa Kyobe, Media and Communications Officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport, clarified that although the Lira–Kamdini cluster has passed inspection, the wider NERAMP project remains ongoing.
He noted that progress was slowed at times due to World Bank requirements compelling government to fully address social and environmental obligations before final handover.
“The road now only awaits commissioning, but the official date will be confirmed by the Office of the President,” Sempebwa said. Describing the road as a “major trade artery,” Sempebwa said the upgrade has already doubled traffic, with traders and transporters quickly embracing the new efficiency.
“Previously, bottlenecks and constraints slowed down movement of goods. Today, service delivery is faster, safer, and more convenient,” he explained.
From farmers ferrying produce to Lira’s markets to cross-border traders trucking goods to South Sudan and the DRC, the road is already proving its economic worth.
Sempebwa further highlighted that the project includes a strong road safety component. “Signage, markings, and protective features have been installed to reduce crashes and guide road users. More are still to come,” he added.
He appealed to the community to embrace and protect these safety installations. “Please, no vandalism,” he urged. For now, the Lira–Kamdini road gleams as a symbol of progress: a smooth, modern artery replacing years of dust and delay.
Its commissioning date remains pending, but whether ribbon-cutting happens next month or next quarter, the road is already delivering on its promise; connecting communities, fueling trade, and proving that, occasionally, the road less traveled just needed a good layer of tarmac.
Lira-Kamdini highway is part of a 340km mega road awarded to Mota-Engil Company at over shs583 billion.
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