Residents of Mahyoro Sub County in Kitagwenda district want the Uganda National Roads Authority to rehabilitate Mahyoro-Kabujogera road. The road is the main link betweenKitagwenda- Ibanda and Ruburizi districts.
According to the residents, despite its central role, the road harbors dangerous spots at Ntababahara in Mahyoro sub-county and Nyabishaju bridge which connects communities to Mahyoro-Kayinja landing site on lake George and Queen Elizabeth National park in Katerera Rubiirizi district.
They claim that during his 2016 presidential campaigns in Kitagwenda, president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni pledged to tarmac the road that stretches from Ibanda -Kitagwenda-Rubirizi and Kamwenge districts. However, the road was left out of the recent national development plan among those earmarked for tarmacking.
Whereas the road remains significant in facilitating transport, lack of maintenance has turned it into a death trap. At least six people including a tourist were killed this year at the deadly Ntabahara and Kanoni spots in Mahyoro sub-county.
Joseph Mushabe, a resident of Nyakasura II village, says that the increased accidents have affected the market for their produce since traders have since abandoned the road for other alternative routes.
Zaburoni Magayane, a resident of Ntabahara village Nyakasura parish says that he has witnessed several accidents claiming the lives of people on Ntabahara hill and as a responsible citizen he has complained to the district authorities but nothing has been done. He says that he wants the government to instruct UNRA to work on the dangerous spots and expand the bridge on the same road for easy transportation of goods.
In his August 4th, 2022 petition to the Minister for Works and Transport, Kitagwenda district chairperson, Ismail Muhseneza, says that whereas UNRA is solely mandated to conduct routine road maintenance, it was last maintained in 2020/2021. He explains that due to frequent rains and hilly terrain, the road deteriorated very first leading to many accidents that have claimed lives.
It is against this background that the district chairman has requested an emergency rehabilitation fund to work on the deadly spots at Ntabahara and the Immediate expansion of Nyabishanju bridge along Kabujogera- Mahyoro -Buhindagye road.
The petition was also copied to the permanent secretary ministry of works and transport and the UNRA ED Allen Kagina. The UNRA Station Engineer in Ibanda, Bernard Byakagaba, said that they are aware of the problem but they delayed work on the spots because of financial constraints.
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