Residents, motorists raise the red flag over theft of road signs, culverts
Some of the road signs along Fort Portal-Ntoroko road were stolen. PHOTO | ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- One suspect has so far been arrested to help in the investigations of the theft of Armco culverts that were installed a few metres away on Mpondwe Bridge in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council.
Motorists in Kasese and Ntoroko districts have raised the red flag over increased theft of road signs and culverts, a vice they say is putting the lives of pedestrians and motorists at risk.
One suspect has so far been arrested to help in the investigations of the theft of Armco culverts that were installed a few metres away on Mpondwe Bridge in Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council.
As a result of the theft, a section of the road has started sinking.
This has left motorists uncertain over their safety while crossing to the neighbouring DR Congo.
On both Kikorongo-Mpondwe and Kasese-Fort portal roads, some of the road signs such as for zebra crossing, speed limit, cattle crossing and humps have been stolen.
Mr Yunus Muhindo, the chairperson for Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council, said the road had become impassable for heavy trucks.
“We discovered that the nuts and bolts of the corrugated steel culverts were removed and the larger gang of vandals and robbers had removed a number of Amrco culverts,” Mr Muhindo said.
He said the bridge connects Uganda to DRC.
“You know this is the only road one uses while heading to Mpondwe border and it connects to other areas like Karambi,” Mr Muhindo said.
Heavy trucks have since been diverted to the old bridge to allow reinstatement of the culverts.
Mr David Kambasu, a resident of Kabirizi Village on the Kikorongo-Mpondwe road, said on Fort Portal-Ntoroko road, all the road signs from Kihodo Market up to Karugutu Trading Centre, were stolen about a year ago. The road, which was constructed in 2010, has now developed potholes yet it has sharp corners.
Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the spokesperson of the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra), said they are mobilising resources to replace the stolen culverts.
“We now want the enforcement teams and leaders to support us to ensure that these people are arrested and the law takes its course because we don’t have to be in the system of installing and a few days later people will vandalise. That will be a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Accidents
This month, one person died on the spot and nine others were seriously injured after a taxi overturned and plunged into a valley on the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road.
In 2017, six people died and scores were injured after they were involved in a motor road crash on the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo road.
