Africa-Press – Uganda. Residents of Bugweri and Bugiri Districts have asked the government to urgently fix a road which connects Bupala Village in Bugweri District to Bukooli in Bugiri District after it developed a crater that has since turned into a deathtrap.
The crater, measuring about 40 metres wide, is located on the boundary between Lwanika Village, Nabukalu Sub-county, Bugiri District, and Bupala Village, Buyanga Sub-county in Bugweri District.
Mr Nasur Mukama, a resident of Nasilalo Village, Buyanga Sub-county in Bugweri, said the road caved in around 2018, increasing transport costs between both districts.
“I use this route every day and spend at least Shs3,000, yet I used to spend as low as Shs1,000,” he said on Wednesday.
Since the road caved in, locals raised money and set up a makeshift bridge on which one person can walk at a time. The bridge is manned by Mr Erias Wandera, who helps residents, bicycles and motorcycles to cross to either side of the Village at a fee.
“I charge Shs1,000 to help a person to cross, Shs1,000 to cross a motorcycle and Shs500 to push a bicycle to the other end of the road,” Mr Wandera said.
He added that initially, more than 200 motorcycles crossed the makeshift bridge on a daily basis, but the number has since reduced to less than 20 each day.
It is the shortest route from Bupala (Bugweri) to Bukooli (Bugiri); but because it is impassable, motorists have to navigate a longer route through Idudi, which is an additional five kilometres.
Mr Hakim Kisakye, a resident of Buwanga Village, Buyanga Sub-county, said he is usually gripped by fear whenever the thought of walking across the makeshift bridge arises.
“I deal in rice and have to cross the bridge on a daily basis, because I have customers in Buwanga and Lwanika Villages,” he said, adding that because he makes multiple journeys to both villages, he ends up incurring additional costs, but it is worth it.
Deathtrap
Mr Kadome Waiswa, a resident of Lwanika Village, said since the road caved in five years ago, at least three people have lost their lives after plunging into the fast-running swamp waters.
“Two of the deceased were from Bukooli, while the third was from Bugweri. Last week, we retrieved an elderly couple who had plunged into the water and the man could have broken his spine,” Mr Waiswa said.
Ms Diana Nandaula, the Busoga East police spokesperson, said she will crosscheck with her team, but in the meantime, asked this reporter to contact district authorities, including the office of the Resident District Commissioner.
Mr Banuli Mukisa, a resident of Bupala Village, said the road caved in after its culverts were eroded by floods around 2018, prompting residents to improvise after unsuccessfully waiting for intervention from the district leadership.
According to Mr Banuli, because of the collapse of the road, the weekly market day in Lwanika every Wednesday has been affected.
“The market day offers locals an opportunity to sell their rice, cattle and so on, but all that is impeded by the collapsed road,” he said.
Mr James Kisuule, the Bugweri District engineer, said the road is in a bad state, and that officials are working with counterparts at Bugiri to fix the road.
“As Bugweri, we lack capacity and have written to the Ministry (of Works) to come in. It is a big job, which requires putting box culverts which are expensive for the district. We shall do what we can as we wait for government support,” he said.
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