Old bridges become death traps in Teso

Leaders in Teso Sub-region have appealed to government to fix the worn-out bridges in the area, saying they are continuously claiming lives.

Most of the bridges in Katakwi, Kapelebyong, Kalaki and Bukedea districts were weakened at the peak of floods that hit the sub-region last year.

But leaders say government has not yet fixed them and they fear the situation will get worse as the rainy season sets in.

Mr Gerald Okolong, the chairperson of Odelo Village in Ngariam Sub-county, Katakwi District, told Daily Monitor last Friday that Otur Bridge, which claimed two brothers; John Michael Etukoit, 21, and Joseph Akotoi 19, last year remains unrepaired.

Mr Okolong added that Mr Albert Bwire, a businessman, on August 18, 2020, was injured and also lost his bag containing Shs3m after he fell into the same bridge.

“It means we have to brace ourselves for a repeat of last year’s mayhem on the same bridge that connects Ngariam to Toroma and Magoro sub-counties,” Mr Odelo said in an interview.

“As Ngariam leaders, the district is in receipt of our petitions in regard to the state of local bridges. We wait to see when they will act upon them now that rains for 2021 are returning,” he added.

However, Mr Seraphine Alia, the chief administrative officer (CAO) for Katakwi District, told this newspaper that there is goodwill on the side of the district to work on the worn out bridges but they lack funds.

“The situation is that some of these rural bridges under the district vote are so wide that if we are to put resources towards repairing them, we would have to halt all district projects for a couple of years, meaning the health education and water sectors would have to be suspended for five years,” he said.

Mr Alia suggested that the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) takes over the wide rural bridges, which cannot be maintained by local governments.

Mr James Omairo, an NRM mobiliser for Acinga in Kapelebyong District, said last year, the old Acinga Bridge, which was swept away by floods in 2017, claimed lives of Peter Ebicu, Paul Okello. He added that the one in Ajeleik, which is under Unra, has been weakened by massive floods but has never been fixed.

Mr Francis Akorikin, the chairperson-elect for Kapelebyong District, claimed that Ajeleik, Acinga, Alito, Angica and Tukum bridges are meant to be worked on by Unra, which has not been the cases. He explained that some of these bridges have taken years without being worked on despite being included in the budget for the last seven years. “I suspect some of these bridges such as Ajeleik are projects for making money by some illicit personalities,” he said, without substantiating the claims.

“We are happy Acinga, Ajeleik, Angica are reflected in the NRM manifesto, but that is not enough, we need to see an end to the misery locals, who use these worn out bridges for accessibility, face,” Mr Akorikin said.

The chairperson-elect further explained that the worn-out bridges have curtailed service delivery in the area for many years.

“The misery which these worn-out bridges is not just restricted to movement; mothers have suffered the worst brunt in the new sub county of Acinga; others have died during delivery. They can’t access health facilities because they become permanently cut off when the bridge is submerged by water,” he explained.

Appeal by residents
Mr Faustino Osuswan, a resident, said in 2019, his son was involved in an accident at the collapsed Amoroto Bridge that connects Kidongole Sub-county in Bukedea to Butebo District. He added that his son is now using a wheelchair after suffering a damaged spine.

Mr Moses Olemukan, the Bukedea District chairperson, said Amoroto Bridge was worked on but the works were not substantial.
Mr Olemukan added that most bridges in the area are worn out, appealing to the central government for more financing. 

“The burden as a district is that we don’t have enough finances, otherwise if we had, we wouldn’t continue lamenting to the centre; we would prequalify firms to construct them,” he said.

“These areas are low-lying that are exposed to water from the higher rangers of Bulambuli and Bugisu areas,” Mr Olemukan explained.
In 2019, at the height of erosion of several bridges across the country by heavy rain, the government allocated more than Sh500b to have them fixed. However, those in Teso are still in a bad state.

In 2018, an NRM party youth mobiliser in Kalaki District, Simon Obonya, died after falling into a flooded bridge in Bululu-Kaberamaido Town Council.
To date, a big part of Bululu-Kaberamaido Town Council remains cut off as a result of rising water levels on Lake Kyoga.

Mr Allan Ssempebwa, the media relations manager at Unra, said, most of the worn out bridges in Teso are not under Unra network.

“We, however, extended boats for use in those areas where we are not mandated as Unra to work on them,” he explained.

On Toroma road, he said, box culverts have been fixed, and maintenance work done, making the stretch motorable.

Mr Ssempebwa added that they have planned for more maintenance works on some of the bridges and roads under their mandate within Teso in the next financial year.

He also explained that calls for them to take over some rural roads is not only limited to Teso, but explained that they are constrained by funds.

Most affected
Most of the bridges in Katakwi, Kapelebyong, Kalaki and Bukedea districts were weakened at the peak of floods that hit the sub-region last year.

But leaders say government has not yet fixed them yet as the rainy season set in, they fear the situation will get worse.
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