Leaders ask Museveni to fulfil road pledge

Local leaders have petitioned President Museveni to fulfil his pledge of tarmacking the Kayunga-Galilaaya road. 

The Bbaale County MP, Mr Charles Tebandeke, said Mr Museveni pledged to tarmac the 89-kilometre road during the 2011 Presidential Election to ease transport.

The road, if worked on, would provide a shortest alternative route from the Southern to the northern district of Apac and to Kawongo Landing Site on Lake Kyoga and to the Bbaale cattle corridor.

In a February 6 letter addressed to President Museveni, Mr Tebandeke said sub-counties such as Kitimbwa, Bbaale, Kayonza and Galilaaya, struggle with impassable roads.

“This poor state of the road has occasioned a series of road accidents that caused the death of over 30 people between the years 2019 and 2022,”  the petition reads in part.

It adds: “Your Excellency, it is on record that since 2011 political campaigns in Kayunga District, you have always promised to direct the elevation of Kayunga-Galilaaya road but this has all been in vain”.

Besides the presidential pledge, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja during the 2022 Kayunga District by-election that saw ruling NRM’s Andrew Muwonge win the hotly contested seat, said the government would immediately tarmac the road if they vote for the NRM candidate.

Mr Saleh Bulinsoni, the district speaker, also criticised the government for using the road to get political support and votes from residents.

“This road has turned out to be a political road. In every political season they come here and promise to tarmac it and when they win, they forget about it,” Mr Bulinsoni noted.

In a 30 March letter, Mr Kenneth Omona, the principal private secretary to the President, responded to Mr Tebandeke’s petition and wrote to the Minister of Works and  Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, asking him  for “further management of the issue”.

But Mr Tebandeke said they would demonstrate and block all NRM leaders from setting foot in Kayunga to attend functions.

“We are tired of being taken for granted, we shall soon make it clear to NRM leaders outside the district that they are not welcome in the district,” the MP said.

Mr Andrew Muwonge, the Kayunga District chairperson, however, said they would remain patient, as the government was financially cash-strapped.

Government is currently tarmacking the Kayunga- Busaana road and a new road that connects Nakasongola to Kayunga.

Challenges

Works minister Katumba Wamala, however, told this publication on Tuesday that due to financial constraints, the government will not undertake any new road projects in the coming financial year.

“We are only completing road projects that are ongoing and roads damaged by heavy rains,” he said. He, however, asked residents to be patient.