By Gad Masereka
Bundibugyo: The Uganda National Roads Executive Director Ms. Allen Kagina on July 31 undertook an emergency inspection of Fortportal-Bundibugyo road following Monday’s slope failure at Km 78.
The cracks developed at Bubukwanga, just about six kilometers from Bundibugyo town.
According to UNRA, the inspection was intended to support the team on the ground and to give confidence to road users as they repair the affected area.
After Ms. Kagina’s visit, it was announced that temporary reinstatement of the affected section would follow to ensure business continuity.
The 79km construction of Fort-Portal Bundibugyo road was completed in 2013 with funding from the African Development Bank to the tune of Shillings 147 billion to ease transport and facilitate the movement of cocoa from Bundibugyo, which is the leading producer of the cash crop in the country.
Muhindo said, they are yet to establish how deep the cracks are. Muhindo says the damage cannot be underestimated since heavy vehicles transporting cocoa use the road.
He added that the rains also destroyed six bridges along the road. They include the bridges crossing Lugo, Nyaruru, Tokwe and Kinyangende rivers.
He expressed his worry that local government is constrained to reinstate the
bridges and fears that transport could be paralysed in the district for a long
period unless the central government and other humanitarian bodies chip in to
support.
Kurusumu Kabasinguzi, the Bundibugyo District Environment said, the rains also
caused extensive damage to crops in the area.
She revealed that crops such as cocoa, vanilla, beans, bananas and cassava
have been severely affected.
Kabasinga warned that the district could be headed for disaster especially
famine owing to the severe destruction.
Tuesday’s heavy rains came barely a week after floods displaced several people, destroyed crops and property in the same district.
Kabasinguzi said, the District is simply experiencing the effects of global warming.
