Mbale, Nakapipirit roads cut off by floods after days of heavy rains

Travelling from Kampala to Nakapiripirit and Amudat districts via Mbale, Sironko and Bulambuli districts is currently challenging following the heavy rains that have damaged several bridges on the road.

The most affected area where several vehicles got stuck is around Cheptui bridge where UNRA has created Diversion after the bridge got broken ten years ago and has since not been repaired.
Several officials from Amudat and Nakapiripirit district now use the tarmacked Moroto - Soroti road which covers a distance of 300 kilometers instead of using the shorter route of 140 kilometers to access services in Mbale.

Mr. Francis Kiyonga the district LCV chairperson Amudat said the current state of road of Amudat, Nakapiripirit to Mbale is worrying adding that its frustrating development activities.
“Government has made it an anthem to work on the road every year. they tell us they have got a contractor to work on the road but we don’t see the contractor working on the road,” he said.

Mr. John Nangiro the district LCV chairperson of Nakapiripirit said Karamoja roads have never been in a good state whenever it rains. He blamed the continuous poor state of roads to engineers whom he described as incompetent.

"I think people who are working on Karamoja roads especially Nakapiripirit to Mbale are just gamblers they are not real engineers. The Nakapiripirit - Mbale road was worked on few months back." he said.

Last week several tourists who were traveling to Pian Upe game reserve and Kidepo national game park got stuck on the road.
The trucks of Uganda Wildlife AuthoritY that were relocating giraffes from Murchison falls to Pian Upe game reserve also got stuck on the same road for two days.
Paul Anyakun the tourist operator in Karamoja said the heavy rains that have caused floods is frustrating the tourism industry.
“Since the rains started we have not conducted any tourist activity in Karamoja because most of the roads are impassable,” he said.
So far, four major roads that connect Karamoja to other parts of the country are cut off because of the heavy rains.

Eng. Goerge Sonko the Uganda National Roads Authority Engineer stationed in Mbale confirmed the poor state of the road but said the situation will be solved in the next two days.
He said they have also been facing a big challenge in transporting the road equipment’s due to flooded areas.
“We are aware of the situation and we call upon the community to bearer with us but in the next two days we shall be working on that road,” he said.