Trade disrupted in Kasese as floods damage 11 bridges

Kasese residents want 11 bridges reconstructed after they were damaged by floods in May and August, disrupting trade and transport within and outside the district.

However, local leaders said the district lacks the necessary funds, and no emergency financial support has been received from the central government to fix the bridges. As a result, residents in the affected areas are unable to use these bridges to transport their produce, leaving them isolated and disrupting their livelihoods.

The Kasese District chairperson, Mr Eliphaz Muhindi Bukombi, said more than Shs100 million is required to reconstruct one bridge.

“I am aware of these challenges, but we need external support to address the infrastructural gaps in the district. As a district, we don’t have the necessary funds,” Mr Bukombi said.

Among the damaged bridges is the one connecting Kyarumba Town Council to Kaghema and Bwitho villages in Kyarumba Sub-county. The bridge, which crosses the Dubu River near Kyarumba Catholic Church in Karwemera Cell, was washed away during the May floods. A temporary wooden bridge was erected, but it can only accommodate pedestrians and motorcycles.

Mr Bukombi added that district officials have already submitted a request for assistance to the Ministry of Works and Transport and is awaiting their response. In the meantime, local leaders are using funds from the Road Fund to rehabilitate community access roads.

Last week, Nkoko Bridge, connecting Karusandara Sub-county in Busongora County South to Hima Town Council, developed cracks and collapsed. The collapse of Nkoko Bridge has severely impacted the residents’ ability to access essential services.

The bridge was cut off by water from the Mubuku River, forcing residents to take an alternative route that adds about 21 kilometres via the Kisanyarazi-Karusandara access road, off the Kasese-Fort Portal Highway at Kabukero junction.

It is now difficult to access Karusandara Sub-county, known as the food basket for Kasese Town and surrounding areas such as Hima, Mubuku, and Rugendabara-Kikonngo town councils.

Mr Alex Asiimwe, a resident of Kikonga Village in Karusandara Sub-county, said using Nkoko Bridge is the shortest and most convenient route for accessing services such as education, commerce, and healthcare.

 “As it stands, you cannot risk crossing with a car. Even boda boda riders who attempt to cross are weakening the remaining part of the bridge, and soon there won’t be a way to cross at all. We are on the verge of being completely disconnected,” he said at the weekend.

Mr Asiimwe added that the bridge began developing cracks a month ago, but the situation worsened three weeks ago when soil, piled aside during its construction in 2019, collapsed into the bridge, leaving only a small section for pedestrians and motorcycles to pass.

At the weekend, three people on a boda boda fell and sustained serious injuries while attempting to cross the damaged bridge. They were rescued by nearby residents.

Many farmers in Karusandara remain stranded, unable to transport their produce across the bridge, exacerbating the community's economic struggles.

Mr John Mwesigye, the chairperson of Nyabubale Parish, said multiple requests have been made to government authorities, including Kasese District Local Government and the relevant ministry, for repairs to the damaged bridges.

“We don’t know what we will do if someone falls seriously ill and requires advanced medical treatment. We've requested assistance from the appropriate offices, but no one has come to our aid,” he said.

Ms Alice Ithungu, a farmer who grows maize and sweet potatoes, voiced similar concerns, warning that the residents could be cut off if Nkoko bridge is not reconstructed soon.

Last Thursday, the Kasese District roads committee, chaired by Kasese Municipality MP Ferigo Kambale, along with officials from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), visited the damaged bridges. The committee emphasised the urgency of the situation and recommended immediate action.

“We have agreed to report the issue to the Ministry of Works and Transport. We also resolved to personally visit the Office of the Prime Minister to highlight the number of bridges in need of urgent government intervention so that our people can resume crossing and their businesses can recover,” Mr Gideon Thembo Mujungu, the Busongora County South MP, said.