The Ministry of Works and Transport has said there is no firm commencement date yet for the upgrading and construction of the 88km Dokolo–Ocher–Namasale Road, despite ongoing preparations to revive the long-delayed project.
In a letter dated September 29, 2026, Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama told Kyoga North MP Geoffrey Ocen that feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs completed in 2016 now require review and updating because of the time that has elapsed and changes in the road’s condition and surrounding environment.
The Ministry said it had received an expression of interest from China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) to upgrade the road. The company is currently updating the earlier studies to reflect prevailing conditions along the corridor.
According to the Ministry, the updated studies will provide the technical basis for government to consider the project, including the appropriate implementation and financing arrangements.
The Ministry said it would therefore be premature to give a firm construction start date before the studies are completed, reviewed, and subjected to the required government project preparation and approval processes.
The road has been the subject of repeated calls for government intervention, with President Yoweri Museveni directing on May 7, 2021, that its upgrading be pursued.
On August 17, Ocen wrote to Byamukama seeking an update on the project and a clear timeline for its implementation. He cited the President’s 2021 directive, which followed a proposal by China Railway Seventh Group to pre-finance construction of the road.
Ocen said the road had severely deteriorated, with the situation worsened by increased traffic following the closure of Karuma Bridge those days. He said travellers have been forced to use longer routes through Kaberamaido to reach Dokolo and Lira.
The MP also highlighted the road’s importance to agriculture, trade, healthcare, and tourism, saying communities along the corridor depend on it for access to essential services and markets. He cited Biko Health Centre III, where patients reportedly travel about 150 kilometres to access government hospital services.
Ocen further pointed to the road’s inclusion in the NRM Manifesto 2021–2026, National Development Plan III and NDP IV, as well as President Museveni’s 2025 pledge in Amolatar to expedite its construction.
While awaiting the major works, the Ministry said it recognises the need to keep the road reasonably passable. It said maintenance interventions would be undertaken on critical sections depending on the road’s condition, prioritisation and availability of resources, particularly areas that become difficult to traverse during the rainy season.
The MP is now seeking a realistic construction timeline and a clear maintenance programme as the government works through the studies and approval processes.