Locals bitter over damaged bridges

Residents in South Division, Mbarara City have asked the government to work on their bridges, which they claim are in a poor state.

They said bridges Katete, Mandela-Nyamityobora, Rwentondo-Rubiri, Taso-Nyamitanga and Nyakaizi-Karugangama  must be repaired before disaster strikes.

Mr Julius Byekwaso, the general secretary of Mandela Cell, said many pregnant women have failed to cross the Mandela-Nyamityobora Bridge because they fear it might collapse.

 “I live near the bridge that connects Nyamityobora Parish and Mandela cell. It has been in a poor state for more than 20 years and pregnant women struggle to cross whenever they want to access medical services at Nyamityobora Health Centre,” he said.

He said school goers face the same challenges during the term.

‘’We reported the issue to Mbarara city council officials, they came saw the place and took the report but nothing was done,”  Mr Byekwaso said.

Businesses affected

Mr Godfrey Tumwesigye, a boda-boda cyclist and a resident of Katete Cell, said he fears crossing Katete Bridge when carrying passengers because it could cave in.

 “It becomes very hard for us especially boda boda cyclists to cross different bridges especially the one that connects Katete and the City Centre. We work in fear and yet our leaders have not shown that they have plans [of repairs],” he said.

The Chairman of Mandela Cell, Mr Mwalimu Abdunul, wondered why the authorities have not worked on the dilapidated Mandela- Nyamityobora Bridge.

Mr Mwalimu said the bridge was made of timber. “The timber used is now old. People fall in day after day. So government should save us from this nightmare.”

Mr John Bosco Garubanda, the councilor of  Kakoba, said: “The local leaders visited most of the bridges which are in poor state and city council officials requested us councillors to submit a report which we did but we have  not got money to fix them.’’

Mr Muhammad Byansi, also a city council councillor, said bridges should be worked on because they enhance development.

“I think as council we should be working on bridges in our city especially the one that connects Rubiri Rwentondo cells. The budget to work on these bridges in Kakoba was passed and they agreed to first fix box culvert bridges but two years have passed without anything being done,” he said.

Mr Byansi said all the areas with roads and bridges in poor state contribute to the local revenue collections mainly from property tax, hotel tax, local service fee among others.

The Mayor of  Mbarara South Division,  Mr Jomo Mugabe,  said the division is not able to fix the bridges.

“It is true that bridges in Mbarara City  are in a poor state. The recent heavy rains have worsened the situation, especially for Bishop Stuart University students who stay in Karugangama,” he said.

Mr Richard Mugisha, the deputy city clerk, said they do not have the mandate to work on bridges as a City Council.

“The mandate to work on bridges belongs to the central government that is the ministry of works and Transport through Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) . For us as a city we only get Shs1b from Uganda Road Fund, specifically for the maintenance of roads. ,” he said.

He added: “we are not supposed to work on a new road or fix a bridge, it is the responsibility of the central government however we have been patching up and replacing top plate at Katete Bridge but it is not our mandate.”

Affected bridges
The bridges in a sorry state include;-
Katete, Mandela-Nyamityobora, Rwentondo-Rubiri, Taso-Nyamitanga and Nyakaizi-Karugangama 
 

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