Teso transport fares soar
Sep 24, 2007
TRANSPORT fares and commodity prices have gone up in most parts of flood-hit Teso. The chairman of the Teso Region District Chairpersons Forum, Robert Ekongot, said moving from the sub-counties to the districts’ towns costs over sh15,000 from between sh2,000 and sh3,000.
By Mary Karugaba
TRANSPORT fares and commodity prices have gone up in most parts of flood-hit Teso. The chairman of the Teso Region District Chairpersons Forum, Robert Ekongot, said moving from the sub-counties to the districts’ towns costs over sh15,000 from between sh2,000 and sh3,000.
Ekongot said a sachet of salt costs sh1,000 from sh200. Earlier on, the Teso chairpersons met the Teso Parliamentary Group to discuss the effect of floods in the area.
The chairpersons included Julius Ochen of Amuria, Robert Engulu of Kaberamaido, Stephen Ochula of Soroti, Ismail Orot of Kumi and Rev. Sam Ebukalin of Bukedea.
The leaders attributed the increase in prices and fares to the floods that have rendered most roads inaccessible. The leaders said most bridges leading to major towns had been destroyed by the floods.
“The devastation of road networks has left most fares increased since there is a lot of hiring. Saloon and other small cars can no longer reach some of the sub-counties. Whereas it used to take only two hours to Soroti from Amuria, it now takes over six hours,†Ekongot explained.
“Acurimongi, the biggest market in Katakwi, has not operated for the last two days. This is the place where people buy commodities like vegetables and other foodstuffs. We are in problems,†he added.
Ekongot predicted that the situation might get worse with the increasing rains.
Ebukalin said 14,000 acres of cassava worth sh14.5b had been destroyed by the floods and 106 houses worth over sh100m had collapsed.
“The situation is not getting better. The rains started when we were about to harvest. Right now, all the gardens of cassava, groundnuts, sorghum and other crops have been destroyed. After the rains, it will be famine,†he predicted.
The leaders called on the works minister, Eng. John Nasasira, to quickly dispatch a team to repair some of the roads and collapsed bridges.
TRANSPORT fares and commodity prices have gone up in most parts of flood-hit Teso. The chairman of the Teso Region District Chairpersons Forum, Robert Ekongot, said moving from the sub-counties to the districts’ towns costs over sh15,000 from between sh2,000 and sh3,000.
Ekongot said a sachet of salt costs sh1,000 from sh200. Earlier on, the Teso chairpersons met the Teso Parliamentary Group to discuss the effect of floods in the area.
The chairpersons included Julius Ochen of Amuria, Robert Engulu of Kaberamaido, Stephen Ochula of Soroti, Ismail Orot of Kumi and Rev. Sam Ebukalin of Bukedea.
The leaders attributed the increase in prices and fares to the floods that have rendered most roads inaccessible. The leaders said most bridges leading to major towns had been destroyed by the floods.
“The devastation of road networks has left most fares increased since there is a lot of hiring. Saloon and other small cars can no longer reach some of the sub-counties. Whereas it used to take only two hours to Soroti from Amuria, it now takes over six hours,†Ekongot explained.
“Acurimongi, the biggest market in Katakwi, has not operated for the last two days. This is the place where people buy commodities like vegetables and other foodstuffs. We are in problems,†he added.
Ekongot predicted that the situation might get worse with the increasing rains.
Ebukalin said 14,000 acres of cassava worth sh14.5b had been destroyed by the floods and 106 houses worth over sh100m had collapsed.
“The situation is not getting better. The rains started when we were about to harvest. Right now, all the gardens of cassava, groundnuts, sorghum and other crops have been destroyed. After the rains, it will be famine,†he predicted.
The leaders called on the works minister, Eng. John Nasasira, to quickly dispatch a team to repair some of the roads and collapsed bridges.