Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja waves a Ugandan national flag on a grader during a launching ceremony of the Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu Road upgrading project in Sironko, Uganda, on June 5, 2024. Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has launched the upgrade of a 39-km road in Sironko District of the mountainous Eastern Region, together with the Chinese construction firm Shandong Luqiao Group Co., Ltd. (Shandong Luqiao Group Co.,Ltd/Handout via Xinhua)

Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has launched the upgrade of a 39-km road in Sironko District of the mountainous Eastern Region, together with the Chinese construction firm Shandong Luqiao Group Co., Ltd.

At Wednesday's ceremony, Nabbanja, in a symbolic move, drove a grader in front of a cheering crowd and urged the community to ensure the safety of construction equipment so that work can continue uninterrupted.

Funded by the African Development Bank, the main project is to upgrade the Namagumba-Budadiri-Nalugugu Road from gravel to asphalt.

Samuel Muhoozi, director of roads and bridges development at the Uganda National Roads Authority, said when the construction of the road is completed, it will help local farmers gain faster access to markets.

"The terrain in the area is mountainous; therefore, the biggest challenge is transportation. So infrastructure like this one is very necessary," said Muhoozi.

He said the government has hope in the Chinese firm, noting that due diligence has been done and that Chinese road construction works in Uganda have passed the test.

Jiang Chuanliang, project manager of Shandong Luqiao Group Co., Ltd, told Xinhua that the construction will take three years, and more than 600 local people will be employed during the process.

When the road is completed, the travel time on it will be reduced from the original one hour to 20 minutes, said the manager.

The district is known for its well-known Arabica coffee, bananas, Irish potatoes, and fresh milk, which are sought after by traders from the national capital of Kampala and across the border in Kenya.

The road is also expected to boost community service and tourism by improving access to Mount Elgon National Park and Sipi Falls. Mount Elgon, which is shared with neighboring Kenya, is a popular destination among mountain climbers.