Lands Ministry unveils proposed Shs7.8 million Kotido bus terminal design

14 July 2026, 7:10 am

By Moses Lokeris

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has unveiled the proposed architectural design of the long-awaited Shs7.8 billion Kotido modern bus terminal under the five-year Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) program, funded by the World Bank.

The proposed design was unveiled recently during a stakeholders meeting held at Kotido Municipal Hall and attended by representatives of lockup owners at the bus park, Municipal and district political leaders and technocrats.

The UCMID program running from 2026/2031, is intended to help 10 cities, and 26 municipalities incorporate climate smart resilience components, waste management on top of the usual urban mobility infrastructure elements, drainage improvements, urban greening among others.

While unveiling the architectural design, Michael Lugayizi the project supervisor revealed that the bus park once completed, will accommodate 59 lockup spaces, parking yard for both taxis and buses, drainage channels, guard house, wall perimeter fence, tarmacked roads leading in and out of the park, and pavement among others.

Lugayizi tasked the municipal authorities to resolve the unresolved impasse with lockup owners at the current ramshackled bus park to pave way for the construction of a modernized park.

“The construction works are expected to commence in December this year. Therefore you must resolve the current standoff with the lockup owners before December to allows delays in project implementation”, Lugayizi told the leaders   

He observed that the procurement of the contractor by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is underway.

Moses Lorika, Kotido Municipal Town Clerk assured the ministry officials that the project will be implemented as planned without any encumbrance.

According to Lorika all the 74 leases awarded to the current lockup owners are set to expire in November, this year.

“We are really blessed at Kotido Municipal Council because this vital project has come at a time all the leases are expiring in November 2026; otherwise, if these leases were still running, we would be in big trouble,” Lorika stated.

He urged the lock owners to stop wasting time threatening to drag Municipal Court to court for evicting them, noting that a lease is a binding agreement between them and Municipal Council.

The local leaders and some lockup owners who were present welcomed the project and hailed government for considering Kotido Municipality to benefit from the UCMID Program. 

Rose Mary Napyo, the LCV Councilor representing the Central Division at the District Council, is confident that modern bus park, once completed, it will put an end to poor drainage and sanitation in the park.

Namoe Rose Mary Chilla, the LCIII Chairperson for Central Division expressed optimistic that the construction of a modern bus park will boost revenue collection in the central business district and create employment for the population.

Similarly, Yonna Kapsoken Philemon, one of the landlords at the current bus and taxi park also welcomed the development, and urged his colleagues to comply with the Municipal Council directive to leave the park for smooth implementation of the modern bus park project.

Paul Komol Lotee, the LCV Chairperson of Kotido district, urged the lockup owners to adhere to earlier notice issued by Municipal Council, asking them to demolish the lockups to pave way for the construction of a modern bus park.

“People owning lockups at the park should demolish them and leave willingly without causing an unnecessary standoff by demanding compensation, which will never happen,” Komol directed.