Iganga -Tirinyi highway closed
The section at Nawangisa village on Tirinyi Road which curved in at the weekend. PHOTO BY YAZID YOSILIGIRA
Iganga- The Iganga - Tirinyi highway has been closed after a section of the road caved in due to heavy rain, paralysing transport between Iganga and Pallisa districts.
Residents said the collapse of the stretch at Nawangisa village at the weekend came after a truck transporting merchandise to the Democratic Republic of Congo passed through the road.
Mr Musa Kyakulaga, a resident, said culverts in the area had been worn out for several months after heavy rain.
Residents speak out
“The culverts broke down in March but officials from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) have been heaping soil on the road instead of bringing new culverts. We knew this problem would happen,” Mr Kyakulaga told Daily Monitor.
Iganga District police commander Vincent Mwesigye said traffic has been diverted at Nakalama Trading Centre and vehicles heading to Mbale are passing via Tororo. “Vehicles heading to Mbale are now passing via Tororo while those heading to Namutumba and Tirinyi are passing via Busesa Trading Centre to join the highway” Mr Mwesigye told reporters.
The diversions saw transport fares shoot up. Taxis heading to Mbale were by yesterday charging between Shs9,000 and Shs12,000 from the usual Shs6,000.
Residents have appealed to government to speed up the rehabilitation of the road to harmonise transport.
The Elgon region is currently experiencing heavy rain that has made many roads impassable.
