Road users plying the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach road have tasked Uganda National Roads Authority -UNRA to find a lasting solution to the floods that often cut off the road, leaving passengers stranded.
Their concerns stem from the latest heavy flooding of River Tangi in Nwoya district near Pakwach bridge on Saturday that cut off traffic flow along the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach highway, affecting connectivity to Pakwach, Arua and other parts of West Nile.
Fred Kyagula, one of the victims of the recent floods says, UNRA has in the past promised to fix the problem following the 2019 incident but this has never happened. He is now imploring the government to consider deploying a ferry in the area such that traffic flow is not interrupted by future floods.
Fred Kyagula, one of the victims of the recent floods says, UNRA has in the past promised to fix the problem following the 2019 incident but this has never happened. He however has implored government to consider deploying a ferry in the area so that traffic is not interrupted in case of future floods.
Meanwhile, Sally Eyotaru, another victim says, she was forced to pay 20,000 Shillings to access the Paraa-Kissanja Park Junction road via Murchison falls national park that connects to Masindi which she says was uncalled for in such emergencies.
“We were charged 20,000 shillings each to access the alternative road via the park which is too much expensive. Government needs to find a permanent solution to this floods”, Eyotaru said.
Another local observer, Jerolam Omach blames the persisting floods to the construction of that Paraa-Kissanja Park Junction road that has interfered with the natural flow of river Tangi, thereby causing floods which often cut of the section of the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach.
“We hope for quicker response; to start working on the area to prevent the same disaster continuing to happen whenever it rains,” he said.
However, the UNRA Executive Director Allen Kagina who visited the area on Sunday assured the local leaders on the authority’s their commitment to finding a lasting solution to the problem. Kagina says they are considering three options to address the challenge.
For now, normal traffic flow has resumed along the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach road after the floods subdued on Sunday. The incident is the second to happen in nearly three years, after similar floods cut off passenger vehicles using the Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach in 2019 leaving passengers stranded.
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