A total of 192km of tarmacked roads were added on the road network in the country in six months (July-December 2020).

However, this was against the annual target of 400km, representing a half year achievement of 48%, according to the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) executive director, Allen Kagina.

Kagina, while presenting the half-year performance report for the financial year 2020/2021, said five road projects which included Kampala Northern Bypass, Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi, Pallisa-Kamonkoli, MasakaBukakata and Hoima-ButiabaWanseeko were on track and will be substantially completed by the end of June this year, adding 280.5km to the paved road network.

Kagina added that the COVID-19 pandemic and heavy rainfall greatly affected UNRA’s ability to achieve their set targets.

“Several of UNRA’s activities, such as road construction were affected by the lockdown and partial lock-down during the period. Activities such as procurement and land acquisition were halted while essential services and projects continued to be implemented under strict standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The result of this has been a delay in progress,” Kagina said. She, however, said UNRA management had put in place a business continuity management plan, which has helped the organisation to continue to provide its services in the safest way.