Governnent of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport has officially commissioned the newly built Katonga bridge with a call on users to drive carefully and mind about each others lives.
The strong warning was made by the Minister of Works and Transport Hon Fred Byamukama while commisioning the newly built Katonga bridge that was built at a cost of Ugx 191 billion.
The construction of the bridge followed the collapse of the original Katonga Bridge on Kampala – Masaka Highway along the western axis in May 2023, leading to the closure of the bridge forcing motorists to use the longer Masaka – Sembabule – Gomba – Mpigi Road, and later temporarily opening for light vehicles.
The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Works and Transport embarked on construction of a new Katonga bridge which is currently fully reopened to normal traffic and the bridge will last 120 years years.
The project was undertaken by the Ministry of Works and Transport in partnership with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), included construction of a new elevated bridge and 2.7 kilometres of approach roads.
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Civil works began in December 2024 and were completed in 2026, allowing motorists to stop using the diversions introduced after the old bridge collapsed and the new bridge is higher and longer than the previous structure and is designed to withstand flooding.
The project also involved widening sections of the road from seven metres to 11 metres to improve traffic flow and strengthen the transport corridor.
The works also covered critical sections around the Lwera and Kalandazi swamps, including 11.6 kilometres through Lwera and another 1.5 kilometres through Kalandazi.
Major asphalt and structural works entered their final stages in mid-2026 before the restored bridge and road were fully opened to traffic in October.
The Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama said the completed project is expected to improve the reliability of the corridor, particularly for the movement of passengers, agricultural produce and other goods between central and western Uganda.
The Kampala-Masaka – Western axis corridor also connects Uganda to Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania, making it an important route for regional trade and cross-border movement.
With the project complete, motorists can now use the Katonga section without the previous diversions, while the elevated bridge and strengthened road sections are expected to provide a more resilient connection along the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara – Mutukula route.
