Hoima–Butiaba–Wanseko Road
{{short description|Ugandan road}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox road
|country=UGA
|type=
|route=
|name= Hoima–Butiaba–Wanseko Road
|length_mi=69
|length_round=
|length_ref=
|history=Designated in April 2018
Commissioned in January 2022.
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a=Hoima
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b=Wanseko
}}
Hoima–Butiaba–Wanseko Road is a road in the Western Region of Uganda, connecting the city of Hoima and the towns of Butiaba, Buliisa, and Wanseko on the shores of Lake Albert.{{cite web |newspaper=New Vision | url=https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1336203/hoima-butiaba-wanseko-road-upgrade |title=Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road for Upgrade |date=2 January 2014 |author=Billy Rwothungeyo |
access-date=21 September 2020 |location=Kampala}} This is one of Uganda's critical oil roads because it facilitates oil exploration in the Albertine Graben, as well as tourism, due to its proximity to Kabalega National Park.{{cite web| date=10 July 2020 | url=https://constructionreviewonline.com/2020/07/uganda-hoima-butiaba-wanseeko-road-construction-completed/ |title=Uganda; Construction of a section Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseeko road completed | publisher=Construction Review Online |access-date=21 September 2020 |author=Patrick Mulyungi |location=Nairobi}}
Location
The road starts at Hoima, and continues northwest through Butiaba and Buliisa and ending in Wanseko, in the oil-rich Albertine Graben, a distance of approximately {{convert|111|km|0}}. The road connects the Buseruka Parish to Hoima, the largest city in the Bunyoro sub-region.{{google maps|
url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hoima/Wanseko/@1.5551864,31.3331633,10.5z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1764c4a7b499f725:0x8745fcdfa38aa3ed!2m2!1d31.3484448!2d1.4273554!1m5!1m1!1s0x176ff0fd37f4c7fb:0x1abf90f564890292!2m2!1d31.4027574!2d2.1912751!3e0 |
title=Road Distance Between Hoima And Wanseko |access-date=21 September 2020}} The coordinates of the road near Butiaba are:01°47'28.0"N, 31°23'05.0"E (Latitude:1.791111; Longitude:31.384722).{{google maps|
url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/1%C2%B047'28.0%22N+31%C2%B023'05.0%22E/@1.7907172,31.3858558,233m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d1.7911111!4d31.3847222 |title= Location of Hoima Butiaba Wanseko Road Near Butiaba |access-date=21 September 2020}}
Upgrading to bitumen
The government of Uganda has earmarked this road for upgrading through the conversion of the existing gravel road to bitumen surface and the building of bridges and drainage channels. Kolin Insaat, a construction firm from Turkey, was selected, with the approval of the cabinet of Uganda, to carry out the improvements at a projected cost of approximately US$140 million (UGX:454 billion).{{cite web |
url=https://minbane.wordpress.com/2017/06/01/httpwp-mep1xtjg-4pw-2/ |title=A look into the Oil Road Cost: the Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road! |publisher=Minbane.wordpress.com |date=1 June 2017 |author=Minbane |access-date=21 September 2020 | location=Kampala}} Construction was expected to start during the 2015/16 financial year (1 July 2015 - 30 June 2016), although the exact construction timeline had not been released as of June 2015.{{cite web |date=1 June 2015 | url=https://www.pwc.com/ug/en/assets/pdf/fy2015-16budgetspeech11.06.2015.pdf |title=Uganda Budget Speech 2015/2016 |publisher=PricewaterhouseCoopers |access-date=21 September 2020 |author=PricewaterhouseCoopers |place=Kampala}}
Finally, the construction contract was awarded to Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO), for a contract price of US$179,538,545.59. The contract was signed in January 2018. Civil works began in April 2018. Completion was initially planned for April 2021.{{cite web| date=27 June 2019 | url=https://www.unra.go.ug/hoima-butiaba-wanseko-111km-critical-oil-road-package-2/ |title=Project Profile: Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road |publisher=Uganda National Roads Authority |access-date=21 September 2020 |author=Uganda National Roads Authority |location=Kampala}} The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted construction, although completion is still expected in 2021.{{cite web|date=3 April 2020 | url=https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1517463/construct-hoima-butiaba-wanseko-road-halted |title=Construct works on Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko road halted |newspaper=New Vision | author=Harriet Kugonza |access-date=21 September 2020 |location=Kampala}}
In January 2022, the completed road was commissioned by Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda, in the presence of Robinah Nabbanja, the Prime Minister of Uganda and Allen Kagina, the Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority.{{cite web| work=The Kampala Post |date=26 January 2022 |url=https://kampalapost.com/content/president-museveni-commissions-two-oil-roads |title=President Museveni Commissions Two Oil Roads |author=Nicholas Agaba |access-date=26 January 2022 |location=Kampala, Uganda}}{{cite web|
url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/technology/all-oil-roads-will-be-ready-by-2025-says-kagina--3732408 |title=All oil roads will be ready by 2025, says Kagina |work=Daily Monitor |date=28 February 2022 |author=Ismail Musa Ladu |access-date=28 February 2022 |location=Kampala, Uganda}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.unra.go.ug/ Uganda National Road Authority Homepage]
- [http://www.oilinuganda.org/features/infrastructure/oil-sparks-off-roads-upgrade.html Oil Sparks Roads Upgrade]
{{Authority control}}
{{Hoima District}}
{{Buliisa District}}
{{coord|01|47|28|N|31|23|05|E|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko Road}}