Arua City Fails to Utilize Funds Meant for Road Maintenance

Arua City in Uganda has failed to utilize funds allocated for road maintenance during the 2022/2023 financial year. The city had budgeted 947 million shillings under the Uganda Road Fund, out of which it has received 694 million shillings to finance routine and mechanized maintenance of roads. However, the funds have not been utilized due to the lack of road unit equipment, according to Arua City Mayor Sam Wadri Nyakua.

Nyakua further explained that the situation has been worsened by the fact that Ayivu Division, which hosts the biggest road network within the city, has been left out in the allocation of road funds this financial year. This has resulted in poor road conditions, especially in Ayivu Division, where several roads have developed deep gullies and have become impassable.

Residents have accused the Arua city leaders of lacking the capacity to absorb the funds, despite the poor state of roads in the city. Boda Boda rider Stephen Aricaku noted that road accidents have become common due to the deplorable state of roads, while market vendor Jackie Ayikoru wondered why the funds meant for road maintenance are lying idle.

During his recent visit to the West Nile region, the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, stated that the government was in the process of procuring new road unit equipment to address the issue.

Arua City, which became operational on July 1st, 2020, has over 500 kilometres of the road network, according to information from the works and technical department.