KIGEZI: Government to Release UGX 3 billion for Damaged Roads in Kigezi

Government is set to release 3 billion shillings for the rehabilitation of roads damaged by mudslides and floods in the Kigezi region.

The heavy rains that caused mudslides last week left many roads and bridges in the area severely damaged.

The Kabale-Kisoro road in Hamurwa town council, Rubanda district, suffered a huge collapse, leading to traffic paralysis. Additionally, the Hamurwa floating bridge along the Hamurwa-Kanungu road in Rubanda district, the Muhera bridge along the Kebisoni-Kisiizi-Muhanga road in Rukungiri district, and the Mukozi-Kashara bridge along the road connecting Kisoro town to the sub-counties of Nyundo, Rubuguri, and Nkuringo town councils in Kisoro district were also seriously damaged by the floods.

The mudslides resulted in the deaths of about 21 people in the Kisoro, Rubanda, Kabale, Rukiga, and Kanungu districts, with ten people dying in the Murora sub-county, Kisoro district.

Although workers from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) are seen mobilizing equipment and materials to repair the damaged part at Hamurwa, they are yet to be seen on the ground to repair other damaged areas. 

Musa Ecweru, the State Minister for Works and Transport, has announced that his office and Uganda Road Fund officials will hold a meeting on Tuesday to plan how the emergency intervention funds will be utilized.

Ecweru revealed that  2 billion shillings will be used to rehabilitate the damaged roads in Kabale and Kisoro, while 1 billion shillings will go to Rukungiri. He added that the funds will be released after the meeting.

Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson, Stephen Ampeire Kasyaba, is calling on the government to also immediately consider rehabilitating alternative routes connecting the region, as they are also in poor condition.

Kasyaba explains that due to the bad road conditions, it became impossible for drivers to abide by the advice of UNRA after traffic diversion along the Kabale-Kisoro road to 88 kilometers, Katuna-Rubaya-Muko, and 20-kilometer Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kachwekano-Rubona-Heisesero roads.

In response, Ecweru says that his office has already requested district engineers from Kigezi districts to quickly submit a report about road status and budget to determine how the government can release funds to rehabilitate the affected roads.