Floods: Soroti-Mbale road closed

James Odong and Felix Osujo

The Awoja bridge section on the Soroti-Mbale road has been closed following floods that have submerged the bridge.

The closure was announced by the eastern regional Police spokesperson, Hassan Nyene.

Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians who dared the crossing struggled to wade through the flooded section of the road.

The flooded water has washed away more than 200 meters of the tarmacked surface of the road located two kilometers away from Awoja main bridge.

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In 2007, Awoja Bridge, located 15 kilometers from Soroti on the Kumi-Soroti highway was submerged by water after the Awoja River burst its banks in government to close the road and divert traffick to Agu Bridge along the Ngora-Serere road.

The water levels at Awoja bridge that connects Kumi and Soroti districts have as well risen higher than expected, sparking off fears that this could disrupt the ongoing construction work at the bridge by SPENCON Construction Company.

It is windfall for enterprising youth and men,who have since taken advantage of the situation to make money by carrying passengers and guiding the drivers across the flooded section of the road.

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"We charge between 500= and 1000= depending on what one is carrying," said Martin Okello, one of the youth in the area.

During an assessment tour of the affected area, State minister for Disaster Preparedness and Relief, Musa, Ecweru yesterday accused the Engineers from the Ministry of Works of neglect.

"President Yowei Museveni directed the Ministry of works in 2007 to construct more culverts along this swamp but engineers put culverts on one side of the road, this is serious neglect", Ecweru lamented.

Joseph Kato, Assistant Engineer, Uganda National Roads Authority said there were immediate plan to fix more culverts along the road.