Museveni, Tshisekedi launch construction of Eastern Congo roads

The Uganda National Roads Authority and UPDF engineering brigade are expected to spearhead the roads construction in the two countries.

By Our Reporter

Presidents Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda and Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo have launched the construction of several of roads from the Ugandan Border into Eastern DRC.

The Ground breaking of the road construction has been done at the Mpondwe Border Kasese on Wednesday afternoon.

The roads which include Mpondwe, Kasinsi, Beni, Bunagana, Rustshuru, Goma and Goli, Mahagi, Bunia roads are expected to improve transportation of goods to and from the two countries where Uganda is expected to Spend up to UGX 246 billion on the roads.

In May this year, Government of Uganda and that of DRC signed key agreements into the said road construction with expectations of boosting industrialisation and trade.

The Uganda National Roads Authority and UPDF engineering brigade are expected to spearhead the roads construction in the two countries.

Between 2010 and 2018, Uganda’s informal exports to the DR Congo nearly doubled, from USD 143.2 million to USD 269.8 million one of the reasons why Ugandan government moved towards the construction of the roads.

During the ground breaking ceremony, President Felix Tshisekedi thanked President Museveni for initiating the Project.

“I also wish to say, I wish to congratulate very much Your Excellency on this initiative on this road, it has come from him. I perfectly share his initiative because it enters into my idea of the integration of the countries,” He said.

Tshisekedi also added that this is a step ahead into building further relationship between the two countries. He said, this is a greater reason for the two countries to be neighbors.

“I have always said looking at others as enemies instead of building our selves doesn’t fit humanity. And this initiative is a very good example of what we need to do between our people,” Tshisekedi added.

On his part, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said the roads are important for the smooth trade operations between the two countries.

“The people of Congo and the People of Uganda are the same people. I want to thank H.E Tshisekedi for bringing Congo to the East African Community. We are here to ground break and we are ready for more projects,” Museveni said.