Ndorwa West County MP Eliab Naturinda Mporera has clarified that the Katuna-Muko road remains on the government’s programme for upgrading to tarmac, saying works are awaiting compensation of project-affected persons.
Naturinda was on Wednesday responding to concerns raised by residents through several WhatsApp groups that the Katuna-Muko road had been excluded from the list of roads earmarked for upgrading and rehabilitation in the 2026/27 financial year.
Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama told Parliament last Thursday that government plans to upgrade 826.8 kilometres of roads and rehabilitate another 359.5 kilometres, covering a total of 1,186.3km across the country, subject to availability of funds.
The planned road works cover the eastern, western, northern and Karamoja regions.
Naturinda said the Katuna-Muko road has not been dropped from the government programme, explaining that the Ministry of Works and Transport has already started verifying project-affected persons along the route.
“The Ministry of Works and Transport dispatched its valuers to verify project-affected persons from Katuna and they only stopped in Kinyamari. In the next quarter, they will verify PAPs from Kinyamari to Muko,” Naturinda said.
He said compensation remains the key requirement before construction can commence, adding that he is working with Finance Minister Henry Musasizi to ensure funds are secured to compensate all affected persons.
Naturinda said the Katuna-Muko road is on the same project lot as the Laropi Road and Bridge in West Nile, which has already been advertised after funds for compensation were secured.
“The funds to tarmac the Katuna road were secured and our Katuna Road is on the same lot with Laropi Road/Bridge in West Nile that is already advertised since funds to compensate people were secured earlier,” he said.
He said government wants to complete compensation before construction to avoid delays and court cases arising from disputes over land and property affected by road projects.
“Secure funds to compensate people and then tarmacking the road will begin. This is intended to avoid project delays and court cases like we have seen on other roads,” he said.
The clarification comes after the Works and Transport Ministry listed several roads for upgrading and rehabilitation in the 2026/27 financial year.
The roads earmarked for rehabilitation include Mbarara-Ibanda, Mbarara-Ishaka, Nebbi-Arua, Ntungamo-Kagamba-Rukungiri and Gulu-Atiak-Nimule.
Among those planned for upgrading is the 143km Hamurwa-Kerere-Kanungu-Kanyantorogo-Butogota-Buhoma/Hamayanja-Ifasha-Ikumba road.
Bunyonyi-Mgahinga road
Naturinda also gave an update on the Bunyonyi-Mgahinga roads, saying contractual challenges have affected implementation.
He said a meeting involving the Ministers of Finance and Works and other Kigezi stakeholders was held on August 7, 2026, at the Ministry of Finance boardroom, where it was agreed that the Solicitor General would advise on the contractor’s contract terms.
He said some families that had disputed compensation had since accepted payment and received the money in their accounts.
Naturinda said the Ministry of Works would work on making the road usable as contractual issues are resolved.
Ferry project
On the ferry project, Naturinda said implementation has reached 70 per cent after the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development released funds.
However, he said the original design provided for only two docking points in Ndorwa West, leaving out some trading centres in Rubanda West.
Together with Rubanda West MP Bruce Balaba Kabasa, Naturinda said they are pushing for the omitted areas to be included.
He said all communities should have equal access to government services.
Naturinda, who is also the regional chief whip for Kigezi MPs, said he would organise a tour of the affected roads by the ministers responsible to enable them to obtain first-hand information from residents.
“As a regional chief whip for MPs of Kigezi, I will also bring all ministers responsible for this road in Kigezi and tour them for first-hand information to the community,” he said.
