To the residents of Kaazi-Malanga landing site in Kalangala district, it feels like they are marooned on a newly created island.

With their main access road cut off by recent heavy rainfall that has bumped up the water levels of Lake Victoria, the 600-plus islanders have now turned to an old boat to move across.

Access from Kaazi-Malanga to Buggala, the main administrative island, has been via road.

But following recent weeks of heavy rain, also seen in other parts of the country, a section of this road has been swallowed up by rising water, rendering it only usable with a water vessel.

Worse still, residents do not have many options other than a single rickety boat and with danger reportedly lurking underneath.

Islander Ashraf Ssengendo, a resident of Kaazi-Malanga, said items such as food and other household essentials are no longer easily accessible since vehicles cannot reach their landing site.

“Transport has become difficult," he said.

"The boat we use is dilapidated. Women fall in water, we find snakes every day in this water since it is near papyrus, yet we have nothing to do."

The five-kilometre road connecting to the Kaazi-Malanga landing site branches off from the Kalangala -Kyagalanyi main road. 

Part of the road which has been reclaimed by Lake Victoria waters. (Photo by Samuel Nkuba)

Now, Lake Victoria waters have reclaimed 400 metres of it, stranding residents.

Monitoring exercise

Meanwhile, Kalangala district legislators have urged the office of the Prime Minister to address the matter, calling it a disaster.

They want the office to allocate funds for construction of a bridge on the affected section of the road.

The MPs embarked on a monitoring exercise on the status of the roads to be worked on using the allocated sh1b from the works and transport ministry.

During their tour, they were stunned to learn that Kaazi-Malanga residents are struggling to access health centres, children are finding difficulty going to school and businessses are in a slump.

“We appeal to the Government for rescue since our people from Kaazi-Malanga can’t cross to Buggala island for business and other related activities,” said Bujumba county MP Julius Mukasa Opondo.

Moses Kabuusu, the Kyamuswa MP and head of the district roads committee, said that although they have revised the budget to attend to this emergency, funds are not enough to complete it.

He said they were advised to fill the flooded section of the road with stones to make it passable.

The MPs also monitored the 6.5km Ssemawundo-Lulindi Road on Bufumira island which engineers had embarked on before being interrupted by heavy rains.

'Value for money'

Hellen Nakimuli, the Kalangala district Woman MP, says that although there are still flooded sections, engineers have to resume construction when rain decreases to ease transportation of goods to different landing sites.

“When we heard our people’s outcry, we decided to come and investigate but if animals can’t move through it [flooded section], what of people?

"We have ordered our engineers to resume the grading,” said Nakimuli.

She said the sh1 billion that was allocated for works on district roads is still intact and will be valuably put to right use rather than rushing and wasting it on shoddy work. 

“We, as the committee, will be monitoring every road construction in this district to ensure value for money and quality work."

Frank Ssekabunga, a Kalangala resident, said with the road works in the district, they hope that transport will become easier.

On the allocated sh1 billion, 13 roads will be elevated to murram level. 

These will be connecting different landing sites on Buggala island to the main roads as well as opening up other roads on remote islands on Lake Victoria.