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BUIKWE - Residents of Njeru municipality's central division in Buikwe district have expressed fear over their safety after several roads and a bridge in the area were heavily affected by the recent rains.

The residents have now cried out for Government intervention and work on the roads and bridge in their area which they say are dilapidated.

For instance, one of the bridges joining four villages collapsed and the culverts of the bridge were washed away by running water due to the heavy downpour last year. The affected villages include Nava Village, Triangle Village, Nava Road Village, and Mukwanya Road Village.

Harriet Nabaggala, a resident of Nava Road village, said the bridge collapsed and the culverts were washed away in December last year since then, transport has become paralysed in the four villages since motorists and vehicles cannot cross the water stream.

Nabaggala expressed fear over the safety of the young children who often play near the collapsed bridge.

“The hole is so big and we are worried because this is the route to our churches. Many people are no longer coming to worship, secondly, we are at a high risk of losing lives of both the adults and the younger ones because these younger children gather and play near this deep hole” Nabaggala said.

She added that most of the roads in Njeru are dilapidated and their status is worsening.

Ali Waiswa, the Nava Road village chairperson, said the bridge collapsed on December 23, 2023, and he reported the matter to Njeru municipal authorities and was advised to collaborate with his residents and put up a temporary bridge.

“The Njeru municipality technical team and the mayor visited the scene but they told us that council lacked funds to work on the bridge and they wrote to UNRA to intervene,” he said.

Moses Semanda, a bodaboda rider, said: "We are about to complete a month with no way to cross the road and our leaders in Njeru do not care for the electorates”.

John Busiku, the acting communication officer of Njeru municipal council who also doubles as the senior environment officer of the same entity, said the municipal council wrote to the works ministry and asked for help but the ministry has not yet responded.

Busiku explained that they are fighting hard to put up a standard emergency temporary bridge for pedestrians as they wait for support from the Ministry of works and Transport adding that the bridge will be completed in five months and is to cost over shillings 150 million.

Busiku asked the bridge and road users to be calm. He explained that the one billion shilling is to work only on the roads which were put in the budget of which Nava Bridge was not included.

He added that the works ministry directed all the local governments not to work on the roads until the rainy season is done.