Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has signed a landmark €250 million agreement with UK-based infrastructure firm COLAS to commence the Kampala City Roads and Bridges Upgrading Project (KCRBUP), a transformative initiative aimed at rehabilitating over 118 roads across the city.
The announcement was made on Thursday July 10 2025 during the signing ceremony at the Mayor’s Parlor, attended by Kampala Minister Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, State Minister Kabuye Kyofatogabye, KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, and the Deputy British High Commissioner to Uganda, Tiffany Kirlew.
“This partnership marks a significant step toward transforming Kampala into a resilient, livable, and sustainable city,” Executive Director Buzeki said.
According to KCCA, the four-year project is fully funded by UK Export Finance (UKEF) and will span all five divisions of Kampala: Central Division (54 roads), Nakawa (27), Kawempe (15), Makindye (14), and Rubaga (8).
The scope includes construction of modern walkways, solar street lighting, landscaping, buried drainage systems, and three pedestrian bridges at UMI along Jinja Road, Kawempe Hospital, and Queensway along Entebbe Road.
“This is the sixth major infrastructure project supported by UKEF in Uganda and the second for COLAS in the last eight years,” Deputy British High Commissioner Kirlew said.
“At financial close, the total UKEF portfolio with Uganda will exceed $1 billion,” she added.
KCCA revealed that between 200 and 300 Ugandans will be directly employed under the project, with at least 40% of works subcontracted to local firms and most construction materials sourced within the country.
The COLAS deal complements ongoing projects like the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP) and the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), which target 70km and 81km respectively.
Lord Mayor Lukwago welcomed the investment, calling it “a great moment” for Kampala.
“We wholeheartedly embrace this project. We are not doing well in terms of mobility, and this will significantly improve the city’s infrastructure,” he noted.
COLAS Country Manager Eng. Lars Jensen pledged world-class standards, saying the company will use low-carbon technologies and innovative construction methods including recycling existing road materials and deploying smart traffic systems to reduce disruption.
Among the roads set for improvement are Kamwokya–Mbazira, Katale, Clinic Road, Katoogo Road, Mulwana Kibira Road, Naalya Road, and several in Makindye including St. Kizito Jambula, Junju Road, and Tank Hill Bypass.
“We are grateful to the President, the Ministry of Finance, and our political leaders whose unwavering support made this possible,” Buzeki added. “The people of Kampala have waited too long, and we commit to deliver this project with urgency.”
With works expected to begin soon, residents across Kampala are now anticipating safer, smoother, and greener roads marking a critical step toward a modern capital city.
