Kabarole residents protest over road

PIC:A scetion of River Mpanga near Fort Portal hosiptal which residents claim is being diverted.

Several people took to the streets of Fort Portal town protesting the change in design of the Fort Portal -Kamwenge road.

The locals alleged that the change in design of the road has affected river Mpanga which is being diverted from its original channel.

"The original design of the road which we were shown as local leaders was not followed instead the contractor   did otherwise. We need Uganda National Roads Authority to come out and explain because it's affecting the environment and development, "says Charles Mayanja a member in Kabarole district council.

Mayanja said on several occasions they have tried to engage UNRA about the destruction of Mpanga River but nothing has changed.

He said that as local leaders they were not consulted when the design of the road was being changed and that several other people and infrastructure have been greatly affected.

Anti riot police enages the protesters

"Fort Portal regional referral hospital has been affected by the new design because initially the road was supposed to cross through Buhinga playground and join the Kampala high way near the police barracks but all that has been abandoned," said Mayanja.

Kayondo Augustine another resident of Kachwamba said that according to the original design of the road it was going to pass from Kitumba to Kachwamba through Ihani church of Uganda but all that has not been followed.

"We need an explanation from UNRA why they did not follow the original design of the road because there several areas which have been left out," said Kayondo.

Police under the command of the Kabarole district police commander Musa

Tibakirana was involved in running battles with the protesters who had stormed the main the streets of Fort Portal.

"We are here to maintain peace and order we don't want people's property to be destroyed during the protests," warned Tibakirane.

However some of the protesters took the police by surprise when they marched from town to Mpanga market.

Led by Joram Bintamanya the residents marched from Kitumba the Kabarole district headquarters through Fort Portal town up to the Resident District Commissioner's office in Booma were they handed him a petition.

Bintamanya said that this was the time for the people of Kabarole to demand for accountability from the various leaders at all levels.

 "For long we people of Tooro have been silent but this is the time when we should come up and demand what belongs to us," Bintamanya said.

While in meting some of the residents affected by the construction of the Fort Portal-Kamwenge at the beginning of this month Allen Kigina the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) executive director said that when World Bank halted its funding for the construction of the road, the government started funding it and that some sections of the road were affected due to the money.

"We are aware of some few challenges which this road faced and led to the cancellation of the funding by the World Bank however government continued with the construction," said Kagina.

 She also said that the section of the road near Fort Portal regional referral hospital on River Mpanga is being constructed with approval from the National Environment Management Authority.

"During the construction of the road we put into considerations the environmental issues and we have fully complied with the NEMA regulations on Mpanga River," Kagina added.