Demo looms over roads

Rescue us. Busia residents say social services have been affected as a result of poor roads, yet the President promised to work on them 16 years ago.

Residents of Lumino Sub-county in Busia District have threatened to demonstrate over the government’s failure to maintain their roads.

Led by the chairperson, Mr James Nagafa, the residents on Wednesday said they have for long been promised by President Museveni to work on the roads, but in vain.

“It’s the demonstration language, which this government responds to quickly, so we are adopting it soon,” one of the residents said.

Anger
The public got angry after an ambulance reportedly failed to transport expectant mothers to Lumino Health Centre IV following heavy rains, which made the roads impassable.

Mr Humphrey Wanyama, the boda boda cyclist chairperson for Busia South, said many of his colleagues had been involved in accidents due to the poor state of roads.

He accused BCR General Limited, the company contracted by the government to work on the roads, of failing to do its work.

However, the company manager, Mr Robin Tweijuke, said he was contracted to maintain the roads with only murrum.

Farmers also said they had failed to transport their produce to markets.
Mr Ben Ouma, a businessman, said the President first made the promise during a rally at Bukwekwe Primary School in 1996.

The road is 156 kilometres from Iganga Town.

The threat comes at a time when districts across the country are struggling to provide services due a government budget squeeze.

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