in 2009, the government of uganda (gou) began consultations with the government of the people's republic of china regarding the construction of a four-lane (dual-carriage) highway connecting entebbe and kampala. in november 2010, the two governments signed an agreement where the chinese government, through the exim bank of china, would lend up to us$350 million for the construction of the highway, repayable over forty years. the contract was awarded to china communication construction company, which also constructed the soroti-lira road. construction began in 2012.