Uganda Defends Co-Funding of $334m DR Congo Road Project

The Minister of Works and Transport, Edward Katumba Wamala, has defended Uganda’s decision to co-fund a major road construction project in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), saying the investment is strategically designed to boost cross-border trade and generate long-term economic returns.

The Uganda-DRC road project, estimated at $334 million (about Shs1.2 trillion), has attracted criticism from some observers who argue that Uganda should prioritize fixing its own deteriorating road network before financing infrastructure in another country.

Speaking after a ministerial meeting held on Thursday at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, Gen Katumba said the project is an economic investment that will ultimately benefit Uganda.

“This is a strategic investment which will bring returns on the investment to enable us to develop domestic roads,” he said.

He noted that trade between Uganda and the DRC has already grown significantly from about $578 million to $1.2 billion even before the completion of the road works.

The project involves the construction and upgrading of three key roads in eastern DR Congo aimed at improving connectivity between the two countries. In total, 223 kilometres of roads inside the DRC will be upgraded to facilitate cross-border trade and regional integration.

Under the financing arrangement, Uganda and the DRC will each contribute 20 percent of the project cost, while the remaining funding will be provided by construction firm Dott Services, which will recover its investment through road user fees.

Uganda has so far released $50 million (about Shs194 billion) toward the project.

The DRC Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, John Banza Lunda, said both governments have agreed on strategies to accelerate construction.

“We are pushing so that the work can move forward quickly. The colleague minister has proposed concentrating equipment meant for the second phase to complete the first phase faster,” he said.

In a joint press release issued after the meeting, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to completing the project, describing it as critical for regional integration and economic cooperation between Uganda and the DRC.

The road corridor is expected to significantly enhance trade flows between Uganda and eastern DRC, one of Uganda’s largest export markets in the region.