Heavy rains disrupt business in Bugisu
May 09, 2011
HEAVY rains in the Bugisu sub-region have destroyed Mutufu Road, dealing a big blow to agro-businness and commuter taxi services on the route.
By Daniel Edyegu
HEAVY rains in the Bugisu sub-region have destroyed Mutufu Road, dealing a big blow to agro-businness and commuter taxi services on the route.
The 30km murrum road, which stretches from Namagumba to Nalugugu, has been riddled with many potholes. But the downpour made it impassable after washing away the top layer of murrum.
Loaded trucks that fetch agricultural produce like matooke, bamboo shoots, tomatoes and mangoes often get stuck along the route, blocking commuter taxis.
Magrete Nakayenze, an agro-business dealer, who supplies matooke to Mbale town, said the heavy rains have worsened the condition of the road and disrupted trade.
“In agro-business, timeliness is a very important factor because the products that we trade in are perishable. Presently, the rains are making our business costly and less profitable. Whenever it rains, we cannot deliver on time. At times, we have to offload the produce from trucks, damaging most of it in the process,†Nakayenze narrated.
The traders fetch the produce from the mountainous areas in Budadiri and transport it to Mbale and Kampala.
However, an official who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that Government is carrying out feasibility studies on the road for tarmacking. A district official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the Government was carrying out feasibility studies on the road for tarmacking.
“That is a central government road not a district road. During the ongoing feasibility study, the engineers proposed that the road reserve be demarcated at 45 meters but we objected because that would displace a lot of people along the road. So it was reduced to 25 meters. The carriage way is going to be 7 meters,†said the official.
The official noted that the problem with the road was the poor drainage system and irregular maintenance by the central Government authorities. The official added that the feasibility study is meant to determine the number of people that would be affected by the construction and what infrastructure would be needed during
HEAVY rains in the Bugisu sub-region have destroyed Mutufu Road, dealing a big blow to agro-businness and commuter taxi services on the route.
The 30km murrum road, which stretches from Namagumba to Nalugugu, has been riddled with many potholes. But the downpour made it impassable after washing away the top layer of murrum.
Loaded trucks that fetch agricultural produce like matooke, bamboo shoots, tomatoes and mangoes often get stuck along the route, blocking commuter taxis.
Magrete Nakayenze, an agro-business dealer, who supplies matooke to Mbale town, said the heavy rains have worsened the condition of the road and disrupted trade.
“In agro-business, timeliness is a very important factor because the products that we trade in are perishable. Presently, the rains are making our business costly and less profitable. Whenever it rains, we cannot deliver on time. At times, we have to offload the produce from trucks, damaging most of it in the process,†Nakayenze narrated.
The traders fetch the produce from the mountainous areas in Budadiri and transport it to Mbale and Kampala.
However, an official who spoke on condition of anonymity explained that Government is carrying out feasibility studies on the road for tarmacking. A district official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the Government was carrying out feasibility studies on the road for tarmacking.
“That is a central government road not a district road. During the ongoing feasibility study, the engineers proposed that the road reserve be demarcated at 45 meters but we objected because that would displace a lot of people along the road. So it was reduced to 25 meters. The carriage way is going to be 7 meters,†said the official.
The official noted that the problem with the road was the poor drainage system and irregular maintenance by the central Government authorities. The official added that the feasibility study is meant to determine the number of people that would be affected by the construction and what infrastructure would be needed during