Motorists travelling between Kampala and western Uganda can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The new permanent Katonga Bridge is being officially commissioned today, Saturday 17 October 2026, by Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama.

The original bridge on the Kampala–Masaka highway collapsed in May 2023 following heavy rains and flooding, forcing motorists onto long and costly diversions for more than three years. The Ministry of Works and Transport, working with China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), undertook a Shs191 billion reconstruction project that included a new elevated pre-stressed concrete bridge and 2.7 kilometres of approach roads.

Full-scale construction began in late 2024 after detailed hydrological and meteorological assessments of the River Katonga basin. The new structure is higher, longer and specifically designed to withstand future flooding.

According to the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, traffic will be temporarily halted for about 20 minutes between 9:00am and 10:30am to allow for the commissioning ceremony. Spokesperson SP Michael Kananura has appealed to motorists to exercise patience and follow directives from officers on the ground.

The reopening restores one of Uganda’s busiest transport corridors and is expected to significantly ease the movement of people and goods between the capital and the western and southwestern regions.