Uganda · Public-Private Partnership

Kampala–Bombo Expressway

A modern four-lane expressway on Uganda's key northern artery — from the Kampala Northern Bypass past the town of Bombo — decongesting the capital and opening the trade route to northern Uganda and neighbouring countries.

Delivery model
PPP
Design standard
4 lanes dual carriageway
Design speed
120 km/h mainline
Stage
Rights application
Overview

Uganda's gateway to the north, reimagined.

The Kampala–Bombo Road is one of Uganda's main arterial routes: the link between the capital and the towns and cities of the north, and a trade route to the northern regions and neighbouring countries. Today it is a Class B national trunk road just nine metres wide — a single 3.5 m lane and 1 m shoulder in each direction — passing through the dense trading centres of Kawempe, Kagoma, Matugga, Kigogwa and Migadde, where operating speeds fall as low as 50 km/h.

Uhuru Infrastructure is developing a new grade-separated expressway from the Kampala Northern Bypass north past Bombo. Designed as a four-lane dual carriageway, the expressway will carry through-traffic at 120 km/h while local movement continues on the existing road.

The project forms part of Uganda's planned national expressway network, and is fully aligned with Uganda Vision 2040, the National Integrated Transport Master Plan, the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Transport Plan and the Kampala Physical Development Plan.

Kampala Northern Bypass Kawempe Matugga Kigogwa Bombo KAMPALA–BOMBO EXPRESSWAY · UGANDA
5
Grade-separated interchanges
80km/h
Link-road design speed
4
Lanes · dual carriageway
The Route

Five interchanges, one seamless corridor.

Access to the expressway is controlled through grade-separated interchanges at the corridor's key population and traffic centres, keeping the mainline free-flowing from Kampala to Bombo.

InterchangeApprox. chainageConfigurationServes
Kawempekm 4.2Grade-separated gyratoryAccess from Kawempe division, northern Kampala
Outer Beltwaykm 11.1Systems interchange — cloverleafConnection to the planned Kampala Outer Beltway
Matuggakm 14.2Grade-separated gyratoryMatugga town and surrounding growth areas
Kigogwakm 20.0Grade-separated diamondKigogwa and local communities
Bombokm 29.2Grade-separated gyratoryBombo town and onward travel north

Interchange locations and configurations per the feasibility study and preliminary design (November 2025); subject to refinement during detailed design.

Engineering

Designed to international standards.

The preliminary design follows AASHTO geometric standards alongside Uganda's national design manuals — the benchmark international lenders expect.

Dual carriageway mainline

Four-lane cross-section with central median; passing provision engineered for a 120 km/h design speed with full access control along the mainline.

Free-flowing journeys

Grade separation at every interchange and no at-grade crossings — replacing stop-start travel through five congested trading centres.

Tolling & axle control

Toll plazas and weighbridges integrated into the design — protecting the pavement investment and underpinning the PPP revenue model.

Road safety audited

An independent road safety assessment reviewed the preliminary design, with audit findings incorporated before the design was finalised.

Geotechnics & pavement

Full geotechnical investigations and pavement design based on forecast traffic loading and subgrade class, with lifecycle-optimised structures.

Evidence-based demand

Classified counts and origin–destination surveys across the corridor underpin the traffic model — proving demand before capital is committed.

Objectives

What the expressway is for.

The project's purpose, as set out in the feasibility study: efficient, reliable transport that spurs economic growth and lowers the cost of doing business.

01

Lower the cost of doing business

Reduced vehicle operating costs and significant journey-time savings on one of Uganda's busiest arteries — supporting the growth of services and manufacturing industries.

02

Safer travel

A modern, access-controlled expressway replaces a congested single-carriageway road — reducing accidents and conflict between through-traffic and local movement.

03

Orderly urban growth

The expressway will induce new land use and support the betterment of the urban and road environment across greater Kampala's northern corridor.

04

A building block of the national network

Part of Uganda's planned expressway network under Vision 2040 and the National Integrated Transport Master Plan — infrastructure for the country's long-term sustainability.

People & Environment

Developed responsibly, from day one.

A full Environmental & Social Impact Assessment and a Resettlement Framework accompany the engineering — prepared through field surveys, community consultation and focus-group discussions along the corridor.

Environmental commitments

  • A full ESIA with environmental and social baselines established through field surveys
  • Replanting with indigenous and fruit-bearing trees to restore habitats for birds and native fauna
  • Wildlife passage culverts with guiding barriers to reduce road mortality for small animals
  • An Environmental & Social Management and Monitoring Plan through construction and operation

Commitments to communities

  • A Resettlement Framework prepared through consultations, focus groups and field inspections
  • Fair, transparent compensation for project-affected people ahead of any displacement
  • Grievance mechanisms accessible to every affected household
  • Local employment and enterprise opportunities during construction and operation
"Positive impacts — employment, access to services, new sources of income — are designed in, not hoped for."
Where We Are

Project status.

The full preparatory package was reviewed and updated in November 2025 to support the project's rights application.

  • Completed

    Feasibility study & preliminary design

    Traffic surveys, demand forecasting, geometric design, geotechnical investigations, pavement design and road safety audit — reviewed and updated November 2025.

  • Completed

    Environmental & social impact assessment

    Full ESIA with management and monitoring plan, updated November 2025.

  • Completed

    Resettlement framework

    Framework and compensation methodology prepared through corridor-wide consultation.

  • In progress

    Rights application & PPP structuring

    Documentation submitted in support of the rights application; concession structuring under way with government counterparts.

  • Next

    Financing, detailed design & construction

    Financial close, detailed engineering design and phased construction of the expressway.

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134 km of the Great Lakes region's busiest cross-border trade route, developed as a PPP-BOT concession in the DRC's North Kivu province.

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We welcome enquiries from investors, lenders and development partners about the Kampala–Bombo Expressway.

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