The construction of Ntungamo-Mirama Hills road has been completed. TradeMark East Africa, the contractor, handed over the road to Uganda National Roads Authority last week.

Moses Sabiti, TMEA country manager, said Mirama hills route now offers a shorter path to Rwanda than passing through the Katuna border post.

Sabiti explained that the unpaved section of 37km of the Northern Corridor Road Network was a major constraint to the one-stop-border point (OSBP) but now that the road is paved, movement of goods is expected grow between Kampala and Kigali.

“Improved physical infrastructure along the northern corridor that is fit for purpose will contribute to reducing the time to transport goods between Kampala and Kigali and, therefore, also contribute to reducing trade costs in East Africa,” Sabiti said.

The road cost $22 million funded by government and UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) through TMEA. Sabiti further explained that delays at the border posts have been a non-tariff-barrier (NTB) especially for countries like Uganda and Rwanda which are landlocked.

“Traders lose up to $600 (Shs 2.1m) a day due to delays at border posts and that burden is passed onto the consumer,” he said.

However, Ronald Kweezi Mugisa, URA’s station head at Mirama hills, said traffic has been low but now that the road has been completed, more traders are expected to use the route.

“Currently we receive around seven buses a day from both sides and about 15 trucks going through the border. This is a very small number yet we can clear up to 30 trucks and 40 buses a day,” he said.

He added: “We have staff but there is less work to be done; our wish is people to use this facility more often.”

John Bosco Rusagara, the director, infrastructure transport and mobilization at East African Business Council (EABC), said the new road and OSBP will enhance the clearing and movement of goods.

What we want now is that the agencies here do their work 24 hours, that will encourage more transporters to use this facility,” he said.

Rusagara added: “URA should do their work 24 hours seven days a week; we also want space for clearing agents who will be able to direct trucks to use this route.”

Gabriel Ngabirano, a bus driver who operates on that route, said, although people suffer a lot at Katuna, they still prefer using the route because the Katuna border post operates 24 hours.

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