The bridge, the longest across a river in East Africa, at 8 meters high, was funded through a loan from Japanese International Cooperation Agency JICA and constructed by Zenitaka Corporation Company. It becomes the second gateway to the Eastern part of Uganda after the Owen Falls Bridge which has exceeded its lifespan.
President Museveni has said that government should focus on establishing joint ventures with foreign contractors for big infrastructure projects.
Museveni, who addressed the public on Thursday after commissioning the source of the Nile Bridge in Jinja district, says that Ugandan engineers have been trained by the foreign contractors, on how to handle big infrastructural projects like dam and bridge construction.
He said that the trained engineers can be dissolved in companies jointly owned by the government and foreign investors.
Museveni adds that, in case of another infrastructural project, local engineers can handle the technical details of the project under the supervision of foreign experts who have mutual understanding with the government other than going through the bidding process in search of new contractors.
Museveni also revealed that he has already finalized the purchase of construction equipment from Sinohydro Corporation limited which was contracted to construct the Karuma Dam project.
//Cue in: “all that equipment…
Cue out…is not wasted,”
Sato Mahisa, the Japanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, says that the Japanese government will continue to extend support to the government.
“Our unwavering support to the Ugandan people through JICA will never cease and in case of technical support just know that Japan is there for you,” Mahisa says.
The 525-metre bridge will replace the Nalubaale Bridge which was constructed by the British in 1954.
The bridge, the longest across a river in East Africa, at 8 meters high, was funded through a loan from Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and constructed by Zenitaka Corporation Company.
It becomes the second gateway to the Eastern part of Uganda after the Owen Falls Bridge which has exceeded its lifespan.
