Rains damage roads in Eastern Uganda

Sep 08, 2011

HUNDREDS of kilometers of roads have been damaged by the heavy rains falling in Eastern Uganda, authorities said on Wednesday.

By Herbert Ssempogo

HUNDREDS of kilometers of roads have been damaged by the heavy rains falling in Eastern Uganda, authorities said on Wednesday.

Surging water has broken culverts, spoilt carriage ways on roads and made some areas totally impassable owing to the presence of “rivers”, according to a Works ministry official.

The ministry spokesperson, Susan Kataike identified the most affected areas as Kotido, Moroto, Soroti, Tororo and Mbale.

In Kotido, the 105-kilometer Kotido-Moroto road is impassable due to the flooding of Lopei swamp. Other affected roads are Kotido-Kabong (24 kms), which became impassable after a culvert broke. Also in a bad state is Kotido-Lira road (105kms). Its carriage way was spoilt.

Kataike told the press in Kampala that the ministry has mobilized items among them culverts and other equipment to solve the problem. But she pointed out that continued downpours would slow down the work.

In Moroto, the motorists cannot cross Lorwengat Bridge, which connects Moroto and Nakapiripirit districts.

“The heavy rains have made it impossible for vehicles to cross the river bed due to increased water level,” she said at the ministry headquarters in Kampala, adding that staff are completing work on the newly –erected bridge at Lorwengedwat.

In the same district, the state of the 84-kilometer Moroto-Nadunget-Soroti road has deteriorated due to severe “carriage way and ditch erosion along low-lying areas which flood whenever it rains”.

“Emergency repair works are being carried out involving grading the bad sections to ensure that the roads remain motorable,” Kataike stated.
In Soroti, the worst hit roads are Amuria-Acowa-Usuk (39kms), Arapai-Amuria (30km), Serere Bugondo (24km) and Katine-Ochero (70km).

Similar damage occurred in Mbale where Bulegenyi-Sisyi-Spurs-Bulago (14km), Nalugulu-Elgon (19km), Muyembe-Namalu (65kms), Buyaga-Bulugunya (12km) and Muyembe-Kapchorwa roads were affected.

And in Tororo, 35-kilometer Busolwe-Butaleja-Nabumali road was damaged. A section in the Doho swamp is flooded, a problem attributed to the farmers, who reportedly blocked culverts so that water could go into their gardens.

A recent meeting comprising local leaders and Works ministry officials resolved that the farmers leave the road reserve immediately, Kataike told the press.

Despite the problems across the region, Kataike argued that the situation was not as bad as the floods that occurred towards the end of 2007. Roads, she stressed, would be “raised” so that they are not submerged even when it rains heavily.



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