Africa-Press – Uganda. Residents living along the 5-kilometer Lukomera–Kyarugondo–Nakaseeta road that links Luweero and Nakaseke districts in Katikamu Sub County have taken to community service to rehabilitate a road that has long been left in a deplorable and impassable state.
The road, particularly at the Lugoggo swamp crossing, has become increasingly difficult to navigate, severely affecting movement between the two districts and limiting access to critical services, including health care, education, and markets for agricultural produce.
With government intervention lacking, locals have resorted to placing stones and soil along the worst-affected sections to enable passage. However, these efforts remain temporary and vulnerable to erosion during the rainy season.
Local residents are feeling the brunt of the government’s inaction. Williams Katumba from Kyarugondo village expressed his frustrations, highlighting the economic toll the road has taken on the community.
“Nakaseeta produces a lot of matooke and coffee, but buyers are hesitant to come here because of the poor road,” Katumba said.
“Trade has been hindered. There’s a health facility nearby, but we can’t access it. Students are missing school due to the heavy flooding. We want the government to intervene.”
Ronald Kakande, the District Councillor for Katikamu Sub County, urged the central government to act, recalling the historical significance of the swampy area during Uganda’s liberation war.
“President Museveni knows these swampy points very well because his soldiers used to hide there during the 1980 war,” Kakande noted.
“It’s disappointing that the government has turned a deaf ear despite years of repeated calls for support.”
Denis Sekabira, the Member of Parliament for Katikamu North and a member of the Luweero District Roads Committee, visited the site and commended the community’s efforts but voiced frustration over government inaction.
“What the community has done is commendable, but unfortunately, it’s a short-term fix. These temporary measures will be washed away by rain in a few months,” Sekabira said.
“The government must prioritize community development, especially infrastructure, instead of spending on luxurious items. The additional Shs. 1 billion allocated for the district road fund is far from adequate.”
Luweero District LC5 Chairperson, Erasto Kibirango, echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the Lugoggo swamp not only disrupts this road but also affects several other routes, including Kasana–Bulawula Point, Kalule–Bowa, Bombo–Ndejje–Buyego, and Wobulenzi–Waluleeta (commonly known as Lumansi).
“The district cannot construct bridges at all these critical points using the Shs1.5 billion we receive annually for road maintenance,” Kibirango said.
“I’ve requested the government to provide an excavator to help with swamp rehabilitation, but there’s been no response. Luweero and Nakaseke districts have spent a lot on this, but without a permanent solution, it’s all wasted.”
He noted that in the 2023/2024 financial year alone, Nakaseke District spent Shs400 million to work on the Kasana–Bulawula–Nakaseeta point, yet the road has once again become impassable.
Residents and leaders now hope that the urgency of the situation, combined with its historical and economic importance, will prompt swift government action to rehabilitate the road and swamp crossings once and for all.
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