Kotido, Soroti traders count losses as Floods cut off roads

Connecting from Soroti to Kaabong via Amuria, Abim and Kotido has become impossible following heavy rains that have pounded the area leaving the road submerged.

The floods have cut off the major road that links Soroti to Abim, Kotido and Kaabong forcing traders in Karamoja to drive extra miles through Moroto, Katakwi to get to Soroti.

It is about 110 kilometers from Soroti to Kotido but now traders and government officials are driving 300 kilometres from Kaabong to Soroti.

The road which is under the docket of Ugandan National Roads Authority is in a poor state after water washed away culverts in areas of Obolanga in Kapelebyon and Amuria district.

Mr. Robert Okitoi the district LCV chairperson Amuria said the impassable road was affecting the household income of people who survive on their businesses.

He said coordinating government activities was also challenging because the roads are impassable.

“It’s a big challenge and I don’t know what UNRA is thinking about this road we have talked and talked but there is no action, I think the best thing to do, is mobilize the public to protest if that’s the only way to make UNRA work on the road,” he said.

Mr. Peter Lokol one of the producer dealers told Daily Monitor on Sunday they have registered huge losses since they cannot transport and deliver their produce for sale.

“We have many trucks that have been for two days yet they carrying perishable goods like tomatoes, Cabbages taking it to Kotido and Kaabong,” he said.

Mr. Lokol said the poor state of the road has forced the owners of the trucks to increase the fares from Mbale to Kotido 30,000 per bag of maize yet it used to shs 10,000.

Mr. Peter Muya, a taxi driver, said his vehicle became faulty due to the floods and slippery surface, which has cost him shs 1million to repair.

Hassan Karim the gate way bus operator of Kampala - Kaabong via Amuria and Kotido said they are considering on suspending the route until the road is worked on.

“The road is bad last week we slept on the road for two days when the bus got stuck, government should work on the road,” he said.

Apparently the government is nearly completing the tarmacking of 180 kilometer road of Moroto, Soroti.
Mr. Samuel Hashaka Mpimbaza the resident district commissioner Abim said the current state of Kotido, Abim, and Soroti road is irritating and promises to follow up with UNRA.

Eng. Patrick Agona the UNRA station engineer Kotido appealed the public calm saying the works on the road had started and that within few days the road will be clear.