Kapchorwa–Suam Road

The Kapchorwa–Suam Road, is a rural road in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The road links Kapchorwa, the district capital of Kapchorwa District to Suam, at the international border with Kenya.[1]

Kapchorwa–Suam Road
Route information
Length48 mi (77 km)
HistoryDesignated in 2018
Completed in 2021 (Expected)
Major junctions
West endKapchorwa
East endSuam
Location
CountryUganda
Highway system

Location

The highway will start at Kapchorwa and continue in a general westerly direction to go through Kween in Kween District, then turn in a southeasterly direction to go through Bukwo in Bukwo District and end at Suam, on the banks of the Suam River, which forms the border between Uganda and Kenya. The total road distance is approximately 78 kilometres (48 mi).[2] The coordinates of the road, southeast of the town of Kween are 01°25'03.0"N, 34°37'20.0"E (Latitude:1.417509; Longitude:34.622219).[3]

Overview

The existing road is gravel surface. Most of the road lies within Mount Elgon National Park. The steep terrain becomes muddy and slippery during the wet season.[4][5]

Updating to bitumen surface

As early as 2010, the government of Uganda, through Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), started planning to upgrade the road to grade II bitumen surface with shoulders and drainage channels.[4] In the earlier years, loans were sought from the World Bank and the Danish International Development Agency.[6]

In 2014, Kenyan print media reported that the governments of Kenya and Uganda were working together to develop the Kapchorwa–Suam Road in Uganda and the Suam–Endebess–Kitale–Eldoret Road in Kenya.[7] UNRA and the Kenya National Highways Authority (KNHA) are jointly seeking funding from the African Development Bank to jointly develop that road corridor in order to promote trade between the two neighboring countries.[8] It is anticipated that physical works will commence in the 2016/2017 financial year. The Ugandan section of the road will cost an estimated $80 million (UShs270 billion), funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Uganda.[9]

In August 2018, Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda and William Ruto, the deputy president of Kenya, officially kick-started the rehabilitation and improvement of this road. The projected cost estimate is US$105.76 million, financed by loans from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Development Fund (ADF) and counterpart funding by the Government of Uganda. The improvement to the 73 kilometres (45 mi) road is expected to last 36 months.[1][10]

As of February 2022, the UNRA public relations officer estimated the completed section to amount to approximately 60 percent. At that time, full completion was contemplated in December 2022.[11]

See also

References
  1. Monitor Reporter (19 August 2018). "Museveni, Kenya's DP Ruto flag off Kapchorwa-Suam road project works". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  2. Google (15 December 2020). "Road Distance Between Kapchorwa, Uganda And Suam, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  3. Google (31 December 2015). "Location of Kapchorwa-Suam Road At Google Maps" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  4. Newvision Archive (22 November 2010). "Sh230b for repairing Kapchorwa-Suam Road". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  5. Edgar R. Batte, and Allan Chekwech (26 June 2013). "Bukwo's poor roads cripple businesses". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  6. Ojwang, Joel (28 December 2008). "Uganda: Works Sets Sh148 Million for Suam Road". New Vision via AllAfrica.com. Kampala. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  7. Daily Nation (17 October 2014). "Kenya, Uganda in joint road tarmacking project". Daily Nation. Nairobi. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  8. Murumba, Stellar (30 December 2015). "Kenya, Uganda Seek Transport Corridor Funds With Eye On Trade". The EastAfrican. Nairobi. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  9. Stellar Murumba, and Mark Keith Muhumuza (1 January 2016). "Uganda seeks Shs270b for Kapchorwa-Suam road to boost regional trade". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  10. Gwambe, Tracy (19 August 2018). "Museveni, Ruto Commission Kapchorwa-Suam Road". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  11. Andrew Masinde (16 February 2022). "Kapchorwa-Suam road to increase local, cross border trade". New Vision. Kampala, Uganda. Retrieved 18 February 2022.

01°25′03″N 34°37′20″E

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