Amber Court Road Named a Priority Again—But Locals Want Action, Not Promises

The Jinja-Mbulamuti-Kamuli-Bukungu road has once again been listed among Uganda’s priority roads for the Financial Year 2025/26, rekindling faint hopes in a region long acquainted with political pledges and policy U-turns.

Yet for many residents in Jinja, Kamuli, and Buyende districts, the announcement is just the latest chapter in a familiar cycle of lofty declarations, vanishing contractors, and impassable roads.

More than 20 years have passed since President Museveni, while campaigning in Namasanda Village in Kamuli District in 2001, promised to tarmac the road.

"We are looking at tarmacking these critical roads," he said at the time.

The pledge was part of a broader infrastructure plan covering the Iganga-Bulopa-Kamuli and Kamuli-Namwendwa-Kaliro roads.

But where concrete was promised, mud remains. Residents and road users are still grappling with dust, mud, broken vehicles, and shattered hopes

The 127-kilometre stretch—commonly referred to as Amber Court Road—winds through fertile agricultural zones like Budondo and Butagaya sub-counties, where farmers send food to Jinja and Kampala.

It is also a crucial link to key tourist spots of Busowooko and Itanda water falls, both in Budondo Sub-county.

But years of neglect, aggravated by overloaded sugarcane trucks and seasonal rains, have left the road pocked with gullies, threatening vehicles and livelihoods alike.

"For us in Budondo, using a boda boda is a health hazard. You either choke on dust or risk accidents when it rains," said Zaina Namusobya, a resident of Budondo.

“Even inside our homes, the dust is unbearable—it gets into our food, clothes, and beds.”

Taxi drivers like Jimmy Kibekityo, who ply the route daily, say they spend hours stuck on impassable sections during the rainy season.

“If this road was tarmacked, I would cut my travel time by more than half,” he said. “Right now, I spend more money repairing the vehicle than I make from fares.”

Despite featuring in all six National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifestos - 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021 and will likely be in the 2026 one - the road has remained a campaign talking point rather than a construction site.

During elections, official letters citing budget allocations and contractor procurement are circulated widely—but once the ballots are counted, the promises are shelved again.

In 2013, residents who staged demonstrations over the stalled road works were met with tear gas and police brutality. Since then, many have lost faith.

“I think the road has been set aside to be used for campaign gimmicks,” said Ayub Kitamirike, chairman of Amber Court Market in Jinja City.

“We hear the same words every election season, but we are yet to see a grader or tarmac.”

Beyond the daily inconveniences, the road’s poor state is stifling economic potential. The route is a critical link to tourist attractions like Busowoko and Itanda Falls, bungee jumping sites, and hospitality hubs such as Jinja Nile Resort Hotel.

Its deterioration has cost the tourism industry dearly.

Capt. Dodd Katendeigwa, lead trainer at Vine Air Flight Academy in Jinja, said flight lessons are affected by the dust, which obstructs visibility.

“It disrupts our practical training sessions, especially for the trainee pilots,” he said.

In 2021, Ministry of Works spokesperson Suzan Kataike confirmed that the road had been split into two segments—65 kilometres from Jinja to Kamuli and 64 from Kamuli to Bukungu—with separate contractors expected for each section.

“Once the contractors are secured, works will commence and are expected to be completed within three years,” she said.

Four years later, the tarmac is still nowhere in sight.

For vendors like Fatina Nabirye at Amber Court Market, the delay is not just frustrating—it’s dangerous.

“We get agricultural produce from Budondo, but the road is very bad. Many have lost their lives or sustained injuries due to accidents,” she said.

Infrastructure experts agree that a well-surfaced Amber Court Road would unlock immense potential in the subregion. Trade would increase, tourism would bounce back, property values would climb, and businesses would expand.

Whenever President Museveni visits Busoga, this road features prominently in his speeches—often met with cautious applause from residents who have heard it all before. Whether 2025/26 will finally deliver what 2001 promised remains to be seen.

Until then, the people of Jinja, Kamuli, and Buyende will keep waiting—and wondering whether this time, the tarmac will outlast the campaign posters.