MUSEVENI LAUNCHES SALAAMA ROAD WORKS, PLEDGES BIGGER PDM PACKAGE

On a rain-drenched afternoon in Makindye Division, drenched residents huddled under umbrellas and soaked clothing, determined not to miss the moment President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni would set foot in their neighborhood.

The skies had opened early, but the rain did little to dampen their spirits.

Children from St. Ponsiano Primary School Kyamula clung to the school’s perimeter fence, their uniforms soaked but their excitement unshaken. Their resilience caught the attention of the President, who, before addressing officials or inspecting the road, turned first to greet the little ones.

“You are the future,” he told them, smiling. “Focus on your education because that’s how you build real strength and open the doors to a better life.”

Moved by their presence, Museveni who was accompanied by the First Lady Janet Kataaha donated UGX 10 million to the school.

The President was in Makindye to officially launch the construction of Salaama Road, a key road in Kampala that has been in dire need of an upgrade.

The 8.1km stretch is being constructed under the Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation Project (KCRRP) with support from the African Development Bank. It is being undertaken by China Railway 18th Bureau Group.

According to KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki, the road will have two lanes, one-meter shoulders, and two-meter pedestrian walkways. So far, 3.2km have already been tarmacked, with full completion targeted by December 2025.

“Salaama road is part of the 86.9km under KCRRP. It will ease traffic, enhance safety and help boost local economic activities,”Buzeki said.

The KCRRP is one of several major road infrastructure projects currently being implemented in Kampala. Others include the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Project (GKMA-UDP) covering 81km, and Kampala City Roads and Bridges Upgrading Project (KCRBUP), which will cover 127km .Through government funding, also road infrastructure worth UGX 550 will see 87 kilometers of roads upgraded across the capital over the next three years.

With these projects combined, Kampala’s paved road network is expected to reach 929.4 kilometers representing 44% of the total 1,204 km road network.

Hajjat Buzeki highlighted a number of roads which have been completed under KCRRP including Old Mubende, Kabega, Kigala, Masiro, Luwafu, and Ssuna I and II all of which are already completed.

And so, even as bulldozers prepared to dig into Salaama Road, Museveni’s focus turned to something deeper: wealth creation.

“A tarmac road is development, yes, but you don’t eat the road. You don’t sleep on the road, you sleep in your house. You must start with household income.”

 The newly launched road will ease movement, cut travel time, and open up commercial opportunities.

“This road is a good effort,” he said. “But we must transform homesteads. When people have wealth, they can send their children to private schools, go to better clinics even do what the government has failed to do for themselves.”

Museveni turned attention to another pressing need poverty among Kampala’s urban poor, especially its youth.

“The youth in towns have additional problems they rent houses, they hustle daily. In the village, you sleep in your own home and grow your own food,” Museveni said. “That’s why we are going to increase Parish Development Model (PDM) money in urban areas.”

PDM is the government’s flagship program aimed at pushing households into the money economy by providing direct financial support at the parish level.

Originally designed with rural bias development, Museveni acknowledged that urban youth often overlooked needed tailored support.

“Other programs like NAADS and Operation Wealth Creation were going through government officials. I said no let the money go directly to the people. We are beginning to see progress” he said.

Still, challenges remain. “In some places, the money is being stolen,” Museveni admitted. “And in towns, they say the money is not enough. We are going to handle that. We shall add more funds for urban parishes and leaders.”

He added that funding allocations for urban leaders will be increased to match the unique needs of city populations.

In classic Museveni style, he wove in a political jab, accusing opposition leaders of neglecting the urban poor. “You voted for people who don’t care about you. They are always selfish. That’s why your services are lagging,” he told the crowd.

Local leaders, however, expressed hope that the tide was turning.

Lukyamuzi Kakooza, the NRM chairperson for Makindye Division, thanked the President for honoring his promise.

“We are happy you came to visit us and launch the road construction. Thank you for thinking about low-income earners and bringing projects like PDM,” Kakooza said.

He also praised the elevation of Kiruddu Hospital to referral status as a major boost to local healthcare.

Museveni summed it up with a parting thought: “We want homesteads to move from poverty to wealth. When people have wealth, they can send their children to school, go to good clinics even do what the government has delayed to do for them.”

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer