Gulu–Nimule Road
Gulu–Nimule Road is a road in the Northern Region of Uganda, connecting the city of Gulu in Gulu District and the town of Nimule in Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan, just north of the international border between the two countries. The road, known as Highway A104 in Uganda, continues into South Sudan as Highway A43.[1]
Gulu–Nimule Road | |
---|---|
Route information | |
Length | 65 mi (105 km) |
History | Designated in 2012 Completion in 2015[1] |
Major junctions | |
South end | Gulu |
Pabbo Atiak Bibia | |
North end | Nimule |
Highway system | |
Roads in Uganda |
Location
The Gulu–Nimule Road starts at Gulu and continues north, through Pabbo, Atiak, Bibia and Elegu, before ending in Nimule at the border between Uganda and South Sudan, a distance of approximately 106 kilometres (66 mi).[2] The coordinates of the road near Atiak in Amuru District are 3°17'02.0"N, 32°07'04.0"E (Longitude:3.283889; Latitude:32.117778).[3]
Overview
Before 2009, the Gulu–Nimule Road was a gravel-surfaced, two-lane road. It is a major route of transportation between Uganda and South Sudan. During the rainy season, the road became impassable, as was the case in 2008 when rains closed it for a week.[4] In March 2009, the World Bank agreed to fund the engineering design of the improved road to an all-weather tarmac surface. Vice Consulting Engineers, a South African firm, was awarded the contract to design the road at a cost of US$800,000. The government of Japan, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the World Bank will provide the loans to fund the construction, expected to cost US$102 million.[5][6]
Construct timeline
After several delays, the contract for the Gulu–Atiak section, measuring 70 kilometres (43 mi), was awarded to China Henan International Corporation, a Chinese construction Group that had successfully completed civil engineering projects in various African countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda and Tanzania. The costs for this section of the road was met by the Government of Uganda and the World Bank. Construction began in May 2012 and was expected to last two years.[7] The remaining section of the road, between Atiak and Nimule, measuring 35 kilometres (22 mi), will be funded by the Government of Japan. That contract was awarded to China Railway Wuju Group Corporation, a division of China Railway Engineering Corporation. Construction of that section was commissioned in August 2013.[8] Completion is expected in May 2016.[9] On 21 July 2015, Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, officially commissioned the completed road.[1]
Points of interest
The following landmarks lie close or near the Gulu–Nimule Road:
(1) city of Gulu in Gulu District, the largest city in Northern Uganda, (2) the town of Pabbo, in Amuru District, approximately 39 kilometres (24 mi), north of Gulu.[10] (3) the town of Atiak, in Amuru District, approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi), north of Gulu.[11] (4) the town of Bibia, in Amuru District, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi), north of Gulu. (5) the town of Elegu, in Amuru District. This is the last town in Uganda, before the road reaches the International border between Uganda and South Sudan at Nimule.[12] (6) the town of Nimule, in Equatoria Province, South Sudan, approximately 104 kilometres (65 mi), north of Gulu.
References
- PPU (21 July 2015). "President commissions Gulu-Atiak-Nimule road; urges Ugandans to support UPDF with credible political leadership". Entebbe: Uganda State House-Presidential Press Unit (PPU). Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- Globefeed.com (10 February 2018). "Distance between Gulu Post Office, Gulu, Uganda and Elegu Collection Center, Kilak, Uganda". Globefeed.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- Google (12 July 2015). "Location of Gulu–Nimule Road At Google Maps" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
- Ocowun, Chris (3 September 2008). "Gulu-Juba Road Frustrates Traders". New Vision. Kampala. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- Jeff Lule, and Cecilia Okoth (28 March 2010). "Japan And World Bank Will Finance Upgrade of Gulu-Nimule Road". New Vision. Kampala. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- News (23 August 2013). "Museveni Commissions Tarmacking of Atiak-Nimule Road". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- Vision Reporter (10 May 2012). "Museveni Launches Gulu-Juba Road Works, To Cost USh89 Billion". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- Mulondo, Moses (21 August 2013). "Museveni Commissions Atiak-Nimule Road Works". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- Oketch, Bill (28 April 2016). "Atiak-Nimule road near completion, says UNRA". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
- "Map Showing Gulu And Pabbo With Distance Marker". Globefeed.com. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- "Distance Between Gulu And Atiak With Map". Globefeed.com. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- Bagala, Andrew (22 July 2012). "Elegu: A Booming Town Clamouring for Services". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 13 August 2017.