By Henry Okello
TORORO
Members of the Tororo Municipal Development Forum (MDF) are advocating for the inclusion of additional roads in the ongoing Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) program.
During a strategic meeting held on April 9, 2026, the MDF expressed its commitment to positioning Tororo Municipality for comprehensive development through improved road networks.
The meeting featured a presentation by Emmanuel Odongo Owino, the UCMID Coordinator, who outlined the program’s structure and its current status.
Odongo informed the MDF members that the municipality has already received designs for planned roads and is awaiting the central government to commence the tendering process for some of these projects.
The UCMID initiative will focus on five key pillars, with transportation and mobility taking precedence, accounting for 70% of the project’s budget.
Other areas of focus include urban drainage and flood mitigation (10%), nature-based solutions and green infrastructure (5%), sustainable solid waste management (2%), and economic development (13%).
Tororo Municipality has proposed over 13.48 kilometers of roads for tarmacking, along with 8.5 kilometers of drainage construction, the development of a modern abattoir, and recreation centers at Elgon View Primary Field and Mayor’s Garden. Additionally, funds will be allocated for the standardization of the municipal dumping site.
The announcement of Tororo’s selection for this multi-billion-dollar World Bank-funded project was met with enthusiasm among MDF members.
Owere Odumu, a member of the forum, highlighted that the recent infrastructural momentum is a testament to the municipality’s capable technical staff.
He urged municipal officials to intensify their efforts in lobbying for an increased number of tarmacked roads, arguing that such developments are essential for unlocking further growth across the municipality.
MDF President, Peter Ekikina called on the UCMID coordinator to explore the possibility of including remnant roads from the previous Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) program, including Tensing Road, into the current framework.
Ekikina also pledged to engage the community on the project including their cooperation on acquiring the right of way.
It should also be noted that the World Bank does not commit its resources on public infrastructure with encumbrances
Some of the roads with encumbrances include Nakiwala road, Juba Road, commercial street and Chaminuala road. Ekikina has asked residents whose property will interfere with the road constructions to cooperate and leave the right of way.
The Tororo municipality deputy town clerk Okoth Kitong, added his voice on the need to clear the encumbrances within the selected road reserves to be sure of the project’s.
Kitong also asked the people of Tororo to start positioning themselves to benefit from the upcoming developments in town so that government efforts are not put to waste.
Regarding the request to add more roads under the project, the deputy town clerk said it would be good for the municipality however the project is currently past the stage of new roads identification.
