Locals decry failed culvert works on vital Arua-DRC link
“The work is not up to standard. If it is not corrected, it will affect safe crossing for learners and other community members,” said Obitre.
John Bablon Dawa, a resident of Logiri standing on the road where the broken Armco culvert was installed on River Ajoki connecting Logiri to DR Congo. (Photos By Robert Ariaka)
By Robert Ariaka
Journalists @New Vision
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Residents of Kesetru, Lakalaka and Pajulu villages in Ozoo parish, Logiri sub-county, Arua district, have raised concern over the poor state of a culvert recently installed on the Ajoki River, which links their community to the DR Congo border.
Geoffrey Obitre, the LC1 chairperson of Kesetru village, said the community had repeatedly petitioned the sub-county leadership over the state of the road and lack of a proper bridge.
The 3.2km road begins at Ketekel Primary School and connects through the Ajoki River to the DR Congo border. It was initially opened by the community to ease access between Kesetru and Lakalaka villages.
New Vision visited the site on July 11, 2025, after the community sent a formal complaint to the sub-county leadership. The road is particularly vital for school-going children from both Uganda and the DR Congo who attend Ketekel Primary School.
In August 2024, the district delivered an Armco culvert near the road. While this initially excited residents, the installation was never completed.
Work resumed in July 2025, but according to residents, the culvert fixed was substandard and already broken, raising doubts about its ability to withstand the weight of traffic and pressure from the river during floods.
Obitre said the workmanship was poor and the culvert is unlikely to last, adding that for more than a decade, the community had resorted to building temporary timber bridges using local materials.
“The work is not up to standard. If it is not corrected, it will affect safe crossing for learners and other community members,” he said.
He warned that the heavy rains expected in August would likely wash away the poorly fixed culvert, and urged district and sub-county authorities to inspect and rectify the installation.
The road connecting Ketekele on river Ajoki to DR Congo border in Logiri sub-county Arua district.
The road serves as a key transport corridor for the villages along the Uganda-DR Congo border, linking them to Ketekel Primary School, Logiri Health Centre III, and places of worship. Farmers also use the route to transport produce to local and Arua markets.
Gasi Tereza, a resident of Bitoke village in Ozoo parish, said the culvert delivered was already damaged before installation.
“The river current is too strong, and the culvert cannot withstand the floods,” she said.
She noted that the road had been neglected for years before the sub-county took it over for maintenance.
“Leaders have rushed to fix the road now because of the election period. This has always been a community project, but they are trying to use it to win votes,” Tereza claimed.
John Bablon Dawa, another resident, echoed similar concerns.
“The Ajoki River requires a stronger box culvert bridge. The broken Armco culvert will likely get blocked and redirect water flow, washing away the road. The drainage design is poor,” he said.
“We need accountability for the money spent on the bridge,” Dawa added.
John Bosco Odama, LC3 chairperson of Logiri subcounty, said the road project began in 2018 after three schoolchildren narrowly escaped drowning in the river due to flooding.
He explained that the culvert had been damaged when the bulldozer operator drove over it while trying to complete the road.
“As a sub-county, we will request another culvert to widen the bridge and fix both sections,” Odama said.
The sh16m spent came from the sub-county road fund, although Odama admitted a proper technical assessment placed the cost at sh80m.
He said the community had used timber bridges for years, which posed safety risks, and noted that the long-term plan was to secure funds to construct a box culvert.
“The river is wide and needs proper box culverts to contain water during floods,” Odama said. Now contesting to become LC5 councillor for Logiri Sub-county, he pledged to advocate for increased funding for lower local governments.
He said the sub-county receives just sh16m in road funds and a total of sh29m for all services annually, a sum he described as inadequate for meaningful service delivery.