Uganda Government fetches Shs119b from toll system on Entebbe Expressway

The Government of Uganda has collected a total of UGX 119.8 billion in 3 years under the toll system on the Kampala – Entebbe Expressway.

On January 8, 2022, Uganda commenced collection of road tolls along the Kampala- Entebbe Expressway, a major gateway to the country’s only international airport.

The 51km road, one of the country’s most expensive, was built using a $350 million loan from Exim Bank of China.

The government said it would use road toll fees to repay the bank loa.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Eng. Stephen Kitonsa from the Ministry of Works said the toll system on Kampala – Entebbe Expressway, managed by Egis Road Operations, has since its inception in 2022, transformed travel for millions of Ugandans, providing smoother, safer, and more convenient journeys while contributing significantly to the country’s infrastructure development.

“The tolling system, introduced to sustainably fund road maintenance and loan repayment, has over the 3 years collected UGX 119.8 billion,” he said.

Eng. Kitonsa said the expressway now serves an average of 28,000 vehicles daily, with over 4,570 motorists per day benefiting from the convenience of the Upesi electronic smart card.

“Over the past three years, about 23.8 million passages have been recorded on the road,” he said.

Eng. Kitonsa further explained that over the last 3 years, 120,000 motorists have been supported through the Toll Free emergency line (0800270170), ensuring safety and reliability for all road users.

“These are motorists who stop along the expressway for assistance during breakdowns, accidents and other vehicle interruptions. Our response teams always intervene within 10 minutes after reporting the incidents,” he said.

He explained that one of the Expressway’s most significant mark is the notable reduction in road accidents.

“Public education campaigns, combined with the installation of road safety signs and information billboards, and the support from stakeholder enforcement agencies of the Government have helped reduce accidents averagely from 21 in the first year to now 9 for every month. It is therefore to safe say that these efforts have made the road more safe for road users.”