The government has put forth a loan proposal, aiming to secure over four hundred billion shillings from Standard Chartered Bank for the renovation of the 116-kilometre Kitgum-Kidepo tourism road in Northern Uganda.
During a parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Annet Anita Among on Thursday, April 18, 2024, Minister of State for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, Amos Lugoloobi, presented the loan request.
Speaker Among referred the proposal to the Committee on National Economy for thorough examination, emphasizing the potential of such a tourism road to significantly enhance tourism in the northern region.
Expressing concerns about the sluggish loan processing, Speaker Among questioned why the approval process would extend over a year, particularly considering the commitment fees involved.
In 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni reaffirmed the government’s dedication to constructing 325 kilometers of tarmac roads across the country to bolster the tourism sector. Among these roads are Kitgum-Kidepo (116 km), Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Mgahinga (74 km), Karenga-Kapedo-Kaabong (70 km), and Kisoro-Rubuguri-Muko (65 km). Additionally, plans for establishing airports in Karamoja and other strategic locations were outlined to facilitate the seamless movement of tourists.
