Residents stranded as road is washed away
Dangerous. A section of Awindiri-Pajulu-Ajono Road that was washed away by heavy rain on Monday. Many students and traders have been left stranded after sections of the road were rendered impassable. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM.
What you need to know:
- According to data from the district engineering department, the road was not designed for heavy trucks but it is now being used by heavy trucks ferrying tobacco from Alliance One Company in Pajulu Sub-county.
Arua. More than 5,000 people in Arua District are stranded after heavy rain washed away a section of Awindiri-Pajulu-Ajono Road.
The road links Vurra Sub-county to the Democratic Republic of Congo through Pajulu and Arua Municipality.
The road is now impassable after the current torrential rains in the sub-region washed away some sections.
According to the district engineering department, the reconstruction of the affected road was not budgeted for by the district in this financial year.
The acting district engineer, Mr William Tiyo said during an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday that they are seeking a supplementary budget to enable them work on the road.
Mr Tiyo said the district roads committee is seeking Shs31 million to fix the road from Awindiri up to Ajono.
He said the road has now become dangerous, posing a serious threat to the users.
Recently, a tipper lorry lost control on the same road and rammed into two people riding on a bicycle. The victims sustained serious injuries.
“We advised the public to use alternative routes because this one is not safe,” Mr Tityo warned.
The locals now have to spend more on transport as they use a longer route from Pajulu to Arua Town through Ewuata Trading Centre. This is a longer distance of about 6 kilometres. The damaged road, which is a more direct route, is about three kilometres to Arua Town.
According to data from the district engineering department, the road was not designed for heavy trucks but it is now being used by heavy trucks ferrying tobacco from Alliance One Company in Pajulu Sub-county.
Residents of Pajulu Sub-county have on several occasions requested BAT Uganda, the consumers of the tobacco from the area, to upgrade the road as part of their social corporate responsibility, but the company has not yet yielded to their demand.
