Residents stranded as Kaliro-Pallisa bridge floods

As various areas countrywide continue to experience heavy rainfall, transport between Kaliro and Pallisa has been paralyzed after a stretch of the Saaka Bridge that connects the two districts got flooded.
When Daily Monitor visited the area on Tuesday morning, about 100 metres of the stretch was flooded, with some culverts washed away.
The road is supervised by Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra).
Mr Peter Mutakubwa, a resident of Saaka Village, said the floods destroyed some culverts, leaving half of the road broken.

Residents decried the bad state of the road that they said was frustrating traders who cross to either district to carry out business.
Mr Paul Matiya, a boda boda cyclist, said they were finding it hard to use the road especially at night. He appealed to Unra to rehabilitate it.

“It has become very dangerous and many of us are falling in water as we attempt to cross the flooded area,” Mr Matiya said.
Mr Sosan Isabirye, also a resident of Saaka Village, said pupils who travel from Pallisa to attend school in Namwiwa, Kaliro District, have also been affected.
“Some parents have asked pupils to stay home. Residents with patients are also finding it hard to access Namwiwa health facility,” Mr Isabirye said.
“Transport fares have increased and boda boda cyclists are now charging Shs8,000 up from Shs5,000 that we used to pay before the road flooded,” Mr Bruno Beiza, a resident of Pallisa revealed.
When contacted, Mr Mark Ssali, Unra’s spokesperson, said he was yet to consult UNRA engineers about the damaged road.

Other areas
Meanwhile, in Kigezi sub-region the heavy rainfall has rendered many roads impassable.
The Kanungu District Vice Chairman, Mr Gad Byomuhangi, said on Wednesday that connection to market centres has become difficult and some farmers are stuck with their produce.
He added that some tourism roads such as Kanyantorogo-Bwindi National Park and Kanungu-Rutenga-Rubanda are in poor state.

Kabale
The Kabale District chairman, Mr Patrick Besigye Keihwa, said: “Several gardens have been destroyed because of the heavy rain that has pounded the weak soils. The hilly terrain of Kigezi region has also worsened the situation. We shall fix the roads when the rain stops. Rubaya, Butanda, Kitumba and Buhara are some of the sub-counties that have been seriously affected.”
He appealed to the central government to consider donating heavy road equipment such as excavators and bulldozers to help in removing landslides and other huge stones that have blocked some roads.

Kisoro
The Kisoro District chairman, Mr Abel Bizimana, has asked central government to release more funds so that they are able to work on the roads.
“Being the district chairman and doubling as the district council secretary for works and technical services, I have been squeezed in the corner with no answers on why the district roads are in poor state. We have the district road equipment but road fund for this quarter came in when the rain had destroyed almost all our roads,” Mr Bizimana said.
On October 15, two people died on the spot while four others sustained injuries when an Isuzu truck they were travelling in fell into a ditch at the flooded Ahakagyezi Floating Bridge on the Hamurwa-Kanungu road.

Karamoja
On Monday, several tourists destined for Kidepo National Game Park got stuck at Tobakony area on the Mbale Moroto Road in Nakapiripirit District, due to the current poor state of roads caused by flash floods.
On Tuesday a truck loaded with giraffes heading for Pian Upe Game Reserve also got stuck on the way.
Uganda wildlife Authority was transferring the giraffes from Murchison Falls National Park to Pian Upe game reserve.

Kasese
Three children of the same family have been killed and one other injured in a landslide in Namuhunga Cell, Bulembia Division in Kasese Municipality. The deceased have been identified as Derick Mumbere, Wisely Mumbere and Sunday John Masereka who died after the house they were sleeping in collapsed following a landslide.
The Kasese Municipality Mayor Godfrey Kabyanga who rushed to the scene yesterday regretted the incident and warned locals in hilly areas to consider relocating to safer places in the neighborhood to avoid further calamities.
Earlier last month two Primary Seven candidates died on sport after a landslide covered them.