Makeshift bridge over River Ssezibwa puts travellers at risk

A shaky makeshift bridge constructed by the community over River Ssezibwa on a major road that connects Mukono and Kayunga districts has put the lives of travellers at risk.

The bridge was constructed in 2019 using eucalyptus poles after torrential rains washed away the previous bridge on the Kyampisi-Kabimbiri road that had just been commissioned by President Museveni.

The section of  the bridge that was washed away measures 60 metres.
The outgoing Kasawo Sub-county chairperson, Mr Badru Kafumbe, on Sunday said most  poles that were used to construct the bridge, have now been submerged in water and the  structure may collapse any time.

“The rainy season has started and our people may drown in the river. We have made appeals to both the district authorities and Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) to reconstruct the bridge but nothing has materialised,” Mr Kafumbe said.

He added: “As a sub-county,  we are operating on a shoe string budget and we cannot afford to take up such a big project that requires more than Shs500m.”

Mr Kafumbe said the bridge provides a shorter access route to Ntunda Sub-county, which is the major fruit and banana growing area. 

“Our traders from Kampala, Mukono and Kayunga used to take only 30 minutes to connect to Mukono Town using this route but currently, it is only cyclists and pedestrians accessing it , those with vehicles use Ntunda–Kyabazaala–Kayunga Road to Mukono, which is a one-and-a-half hour drive,” Mr Kafumbe said. 

When the bridge had just been washed away, the Unra executive director, Ms Allen Kagina, inspected the area and assured residents that a new  bridge would be constructed .

Efforts to speak to Unra spokesperson, Mr Allan Ssempebwa, proved futile yesterday as our repeated calls to his known telephone went unanswered .

Mr Dan Nsiiro, the Munkoko Village chairperson, said since the bridge collapsed in 2019 at least eight people have drowned.

“Majority of the people who have drowned in the river are strangers in the area, who were riding motorcycles at night and were not aware that the bridge had been washed away. Seven of the bodies were retrieved, but one is still missing plus a motorcycle which he was riding,” Mr Nsiiro said.

Mr Julius Lubowa, a resident, said they charge Shs1,000 from cyclists who use the bridge.

“We charge them because if the makeshift bridge collapses, we use that money to construct a new one,” Mr Lubowa said.

He, however, said because the bridge is narrow, motorcyclists with huge luggage or those ferrying bananas have to first remove them and carry them in small quantities across the river.

Mr Sam Lukwago, a resident, said  he is worried about the state of the bridge, which he uses every morning from Mukono to Kayunga for work.

Other residents and travellers accused their leaders of neglecting them and  remembering them during campaigns.

“Many government officials come here and inspect this collapsed bridge. We see them measuring the area and writing notes but they don’t come back,” Mr Daniel  Okoth, a resident of Kiteredde Village in Ntunda Sub-county, said.

The outgoing Mukono District chairperson, Mr Andrew  Ssenyonga, said as a district they have no funds to reconstruct a bridge.

Ssezibwa River flows from the wetlands between Lake Victoria into Lake Kyoga in Kayunga District.

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