River Muzizi cuts off Kagadi-Kyenjojo road
Sep 14, 2011
RIVER Muzizi has burst its banks, cutting off the Kagadi-Kyenjojo road. This has prompted the Police to close the road, and travellers to explore alternative routes.
By Ismael Kasooha
RIVER Muzizi has burst its banks, cutting off the Kagadi-Kyenjojo road. This has prompted the Police to close the road, and travellers to explore alternative routes.
The river flooded at 3:30pm on Tuesday as construction works on the bridge were going on.
“Kagadi-Kyenjojo road has been closed with immediate effect. Whoever uses it does so at his or her own risk,†Kibaale district Police commander John Ojokuna Elatu said yesterday.
The river has washed papyrus from the swamp onto the road, blocking it completely. Vehicles are trapped on either side of the bridge.
The canoes that were normally used to help passengers cross cannot be used due to the fast-flowing waters.
When New Vision visited the bridge yesterday, hundreds of people were stranded, while others thronged the place to witness what had happened.
Now motorists travelling from Hoima to Fort Portal have to either use the Hoima-Kampala-Fort Portal road or the Hoima-Kagadi-Karuguuza-Hapuyo-Kyegegwa road.
Buses that ply the Kagadi-Kabale route have no way through and have resorted to hiking the transport fares from sh25,000 to sh40,000 due to the long distance they have to travel.
This is not the first time River Muzizi is flooding.
The river has been flooding almost every year, making transport a problem on this main route which connects Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks.
RIVER Muzizi has burst its banks, cutting off the Kagadi-Kyenjojo road. This has prompted the Police to close the road, and travellers to explore alternative routes.
The river flooded at 3:30pm on Tuesday as construction works on the bridge were going on.
“Kagadi-Kyenjojo road has been closed with immediate effect. Whoever uses it does so at his or her own risk,†Kibaale district Police commander John Ojokuna Elatu said yesterday.
The river has washed papyrus from the swamp onto the road, blocking it completely. Vehicles are trapped on either side of the bridge.
The canoes that were normally used to help passengers cross cannot be used due to the fast-flowing waters.
When New Vision visited the bridge yesterday, hundreds of people were stranded, while others thronged the place to witness what had happened.
Now motorists travelling from Hoima to Fort Portal have to either use the Hoima-Kampala-Fort Portal road or the Hoima-Kagadi-Karuguuza-Hapuyo-Kyegegwa road.
Buses that ply the Kagadi-Kabale route have no way through and have resorted to hiking the transport fares from sh25,000 to sh40,000 due to the long distance they have to travel.
This is not the first time River Muzizi is flooding.
The river has been flooding almost every year, making transport a problem on this main route which connects Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks.