Rain worsens state of roads in West Nile

Trucks stuck on Nebbi-Goli-Paidha road on the way toDR Congo and Paidha Town on September 26, 2022. PHOTO | PATRICK OKABA

Heavy rain has worsened the state of roads in West Nile sub-region, creating a nightmare for motorists and travellers.

A mini-survey by Daily Monitor shows that most of the roads in the sub-region have become impassable, with heavy duty vehicles getting stuck there for days as some goods rot.

Some of these affected roads include; Panyimur-Angaba-Parombo-Erussi-Goli, Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Ayuda-Padea-Nyagak-Zombo-Zeu-Warr to Vurra, Manibe-Terego-Kulikulinga-Obongi and Dufile-Obongi-Rhino camp-Wadelai-Pakwach.

Government had promised to tarmac some of them due to their strategic links to the border with DR Congo and South Sudan but this is yet to happen.

Motorists spend more hours trying to navigate through the roads that have left their cars damaged on top of incurring more fuel costs.

Mr George Opio, a trader, told Daily Monitor on Monday that last week alone, he lost goods worth Shs10 million having to manoeuvre through the bad  Nebbi road.

“My fish got rotten in the two days I spent on the road,” he said.

Mr Opio wondered why the government pays less attention to rehabilitation and tarmacking of roads in the area.

“The road too brings in some income because trucks heading to Congo pay taxes,” he said.

Ms Joyce Ngamita, another trader in Nebbi, observed that presidential pledges for tarmacking of the roads are yet to be honoured.

President Museveni has severally made pledges to have the roads worked on in vain. During the 2021 election campaigns in the sub-region, the President said: “I still have a debt for the road from Nebbi to Goli on the border to Paidha, and then the road that comes to Vurra. That road will have to be done. Then the road between here (Manibe) to Terego-Yumbe and then from Pakwach to Rhino camp will be done. These are the main roads to be tarmacked in West Nile.”

 He also said the government would work on the Laropi-Moyo-Yumbe-Koboko road. 

“We did Karuma-Olwiyo-Pakwach-Arua to Oraba. And the bad stretch from Agung will be worked on because information from Unra is that they have got a contractor to rehabilitate it,” Mr Museveni said.

In the January 10 letter to the Minister of Works and Transport, the Nebbi District chairperson, Mr Emmanuel Urombi, requested the central government to tarmac the 14.4 km Nebbi-Goli custom road.

 “Jukia hill on Nebbi Goli custom road when in bad state poses big risks to road users and has been a death trap for many years due to its steepness,” Mr Urombi stated in the letter.

 Mr Muhammad Angulibo, who regularly uses the Arua-Moyo road, said: “Tarmacking of the roads will bring about development and economic benefits for the people hence fighting poverty as long as there is direct market access to the rural producers.”

He added: “It is a fact that if roads are well-developed and properly maintained, travel time is reduced and access to local markets, work places, educational institutions and medical and health services are increased.”

The MP for Ora County in Zombo District, Mr Lawrence Songa, said: “We are pushing for some of these roads to be included in the National Budget. We have requested the Minister of Works to visit the area and assess the situation. Many people have lost their lives on these roads.”

Last year, the district leaders of Zombo asked the ministry to rehabilitate the Paidha-Ayuda-Zombo road. 

Mr Willy Nanyumba, the civil foreman at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said: “Our plan is to carry out rehabilitation which will also include the installation of culverts.”

Reported by Felix Warom Okello, Patrick Okaba and Peace Giramia