Boda boda riders will not be allowed to use the newly constructed Kampala-Entebbe Expressway when it officially opens mid this year, Ugandan officials have revealed.
Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) media relations manager, said it would be dangerous to allow the riders and other motorcyclists to access the highway.
“That road was designed for high-speed traffic, with restricted entry and exit points, so we cannot make the mistake of allowing motorcyclists on it,” Mr Ssempebwa said during an interview on Wednesday.
The 51.4km highway connects the capital Kampala to Entebbe International Airport.
A section of the expressway, a 25km stretch from Busega to Abayita Ababiri (Mpala), will be a toll road for which motorists will pay a yet-to-be fixed fee.
Heavy traffic
The expressway was constructed to decongest the existing Kampala-Entebbe highway which is laden with heavy traffic with motorists spending nearly two to three hours.
Upon completion, motorists on the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway will only take between 30 to 40 minutes.
Mr Ssempebwa said that the main section of the expressway (Busega –Abayita Ababiri) is expected to be ready for public use by the end of March.
“Although the scheduled completion date of this road has been changing from time to time due to a number of challenges, the main section is ready,” he said.
He said Unra is in the process of engaging a toll operator and determining how the billing will work.
Mr Ssempebwa also said Unra will also make a decision on whether government vehicles and the very important persons (VIPs) will be charged.
