Tokyo, Japan – The Government of Uganda has signed the construction contract for the new Karuma Bridge, paving the way for works to begin in October 2026.
The agreement was signed on July 10 at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo, by the Commissioner for National Roads at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Eng. Isaac Wani, on behalf of the Government of Uganda, and Mr. Osamu Tanabe for Japan’s Zenitaka Corporation, the contractor selected to undertake the project.
The contract signing follows the Ministry of Works and Transport’s award of the civil works contract to Zenitaka Corporation after the company emerged as the successful bidder.
The ceremony was witnessed by Uganda’s Solicitor General, Pius Perry Biribonwoha, and Uganda’s Ambassador to Japan, H.E. Tophace Kaahwa. The Uganda Embassy in Tokyo coordinated the engagements leading to the signing.
Speaking at the ceremony, Eng. Wani said the new bridge is a critical investment that will restore safe and efficient transport along the Kampala-Gulu highway, one of Uganda’s busiest transport corridors.
He said the project will improve regional connectivity, facilitate trade and investment, enhance access to essential services and strengthen the resilience of the country’s road network.
Eng. Wani also thanked the Government of Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for financing the project through Japan’s Official Development Assistance Grant Aid programme. He reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to providing the institutional support required for timely implementation.
Ambassador Kaahwa described the project as another milestone in the long-standing partnership between Uganda and Japan, saying it reflects the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and their shared commitment to infrastructure development.
Zenitaka Corporation, together with project consultants Oriental Consultants Global, pledged to deliver the bridge to the highest engineering standards and within the agreed timeframe. The contractor previously constructed the New Nile Bridge in Jinja under Japanese funding.
Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled for September 2026, with civil works expected to commence the following month.
Once completed, the new Karuma Bridge will replace the ageing structure currently in use and improve transport links between central and northern Uganda, while strengthening trade routes to South Sudan and the wider East African region.
