President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assented to the relocation of the Electoral Commission (EC) Head offices from Jinja Road, in Kampala, in a bid to enable the construction of the Kampala Flyover.
Following the development, Museveni has since instructed the E.C Chairman Hon. Justice Simon Byakama to liaise with Prof. Godfrey Lule, who offered to rent out his property to the Commission, to ensure that the same is executed.
Museveni’s directive to Justice Byabakama is enshrined in a letter dated March 7th, 2022, which he wrote to Prof. Lule, notifying him about the decision.
The President’s letter to Prof. Lule, titled; RELOCATION OF ELECTORAL COMMISSION OFFICES, reads in part thus;
“The Above matter refers.
I have received your letter of the 25th of January, 2022, regarding efforts by the Electoral Commission to get new Headquarters.
You compared your property on 4 acres to another property on one acre. I have checked with Justice Byabakama.
The property they are looking at is on 18 acres for Shs111Bn.The have abandoned the one on 1 acre. I however, hear that the 18 acres is in a wetland. If that is the case, then your property gains the upper hand.
By copy of this letter, I direct all concerned to logically resolve this issue because where the Electoral Commission Offices are today, needs to be vacated in order to complete the construction of the overhead road.”
The Kampala Flyover is aimed at decongesting traffic through reducing the strain on the existing road capacity.
As part of measures to alleviate gridlock within the city, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) commissioned a study in 2010 and later on updated in 2013 and 2014 to investigate options for alleviating chronic traffic jams in the Greater Kampala.
Among others, the study recommended the construction of two flyovers at Kitgum House and Clock Tower Junctions, widening of Mukwano Road, plus improvement of interfacing roads and junctions which would be effective and feasible to achieve the mitigation of traffic congestion in GKMA.
The proposed project also considered improvement of traffic safety for non-motorized transportation (NMT).
Based on the recommendation of the Feasibility Study, the Government of Uganda represented by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) contracted Nippon Koei in JV with Eighth Japan Engineering Company (EJEC) and ICS to carry out the detailed design and tender assistance of the Kampala Flyover Project (Jinja Road – Mukwano Road – Queen’s Way) to be ensure the detailed design is prepared in time for the anticipated loan from JICA to finance the construction works.
The feasibility study deduced that the Electoral Commission headquarters and several other facilities within the vicinity of the Kampala Flyover Project have to be demolished and consequently relocated.