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Bulambuli hilly areas secure Shs1.8b for metalic ladders
Residents descend the wooden ladder in Manyololo Village, Bulunganya Sub-county, Bulambuli District.
What you need to know:
- The project benefits eight sub-counties of Namisuni, Masira, Bufumbo, Buginyanya, Buluganya, Bumugibole, Bulango, and Sisiyi.
- The first phase, which began on March 1, at Nama Gayi Cliff in Namidongo Parish, Namisuni Sub-County, is expected to take over two years, with Shs485 million allocated for this phase.
- In March of last year, stories by NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor, the Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U) outlets, highlighted the struggles of Nurse Agnes Nambozo, who uses wooden ladders to reach patients in upper Bulambuli.
The Ministry of Works and Transport has allocated Shs1.8 billion to construct metallic ladders in Bulambuli District.
This initiative follows media reports highlighting the community’s reliance on precarious wooden ladders to access essential services like schools, health centres, and markets.
The new metallic ladders, covering 5km, are a significant relief for residents.
Mr Gerald Nangoli, the Member of Parliament for Elgon North, noted that limited funding had previously stalled such projects.
He said: “We have started by constructing the walking steps and later we will add metallic supports on the sides of the cliff to aid walking.”
The project benefits eight sub-counties of Namisuni, Masira, Bufumbo, Buginyanya, Buluganya, Bumugibole, Bulango, and Sisiyi. The first phase, which began on March 1, at Nama Gayi Cliff in Namidongo Parish, Namisuni Sub-County, is expected to take over two years, with Shs485 million allocated for this phase.
In March of last year, stories by NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor, the Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U) outlets, highlighted the struggles of Nurse Agnes Nambozo, who uses wooden ladders to reach patients in upper Bulambuli.
Mr Nangoli emphasised the challenges residents face, stating: “Expectant mothers and other patients risk their lives using wooden ladders to access health facilities. We have lost some mothers and others have sustained injuries or are bedridden from falls.”
The construction of the ladders aims to address these risks, providing safer access to essential services. Students from Masira Secondary School and Buginyanya Comprehensive Secondary School also face significant challenges, as wooden ladders are particularly slippery during the rainy season.
Mr Nangoli highlighted the dire state of district roads, adding: “Out of Shs1 billion allocated for roads, we have only managed to work on 13.3km out of 920km. We need more metallic ladders throughout the Elgon region.”
Residents such as Dominic Lukuyea of Buginyanya Sub-county emphasised the difficulties students face, trekking more than 15km to secondary school.
He said: “Students arrive tired and dirty, especially during the rainy season. The only alternative road is more than 30km, with boda boda rides costing over Shs20,000.”
Ms Lorna Zanga, a 55-year-old resident of Namidongo Parish, has used wooden ladders for more than 30 years.
She described the challenges: “To use the wooden ladders, one must hold on firmly and take slow steps. We often make makeshift stretchers to carry expectant mothers to health centres, arriving exhausted.”
Ms Zanga urged the government to build nearby schools and health centres, provide an ambulance, and complete the new ladders to reduce daily travel distances.
Mr Silver Mangona, the former councillor of Namisuni Sub-county, echoed these sentiments, noting that residents have suffered crossing wooden ladders since the 1950s.
The community eagerly anticipates the completion of the metallic ladders, hoping for improved access to essential services and enhanced safety.
