By Dennis Ojwee
 
THE Gulu-Juba Road was opened yesterday after two-days’ repair works on the bridge on Awer River that collapsed on Sunday.

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) station engineer for Gulu, Eng. John Bigabwa, said the works had delayed because UNRA had to buy culverts from Lira. He said the culverts arrived in Gulu on Wednesday evening.

The collapse of the Awer Bridge had cut off movement for five days for businessmen and travellers from Uganda to Juba in South Sudan. Most businessmen dealing in perishable produce made losses because most of their goods rotted as they waited for the bridge to be repaired. A few vehicles were able to move after residents put stones in the river. The drivers had to part with sh3,000 to sh10,000 before they could use the temporary route. However, the stones were washed away by the river shortly afterwards.

Siraji Wambedde, 35, from Mbale, said he had been stuck at the bridge for the three days. “I have so far spent three nights here with over 10 tonnes of cabbage and onions that I am taking to Juba,” he lamented.

Sonko Abdallah, a businessman from Kampala on Wednesday, said he was also stuck with onions and pineapples he was ferrying to Juba.