Butaleja: Residents Decry Poor State Of Namulo Bridge, Impassable Roads

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Local leaders and residents have decried the sorry state of Namulo Bridge, which connects Butaleja to Tororo District in Bukedi Sub-region.

The bridge, which also connects Mazimasa Sub-county and Himutu Sub-county in Butaleja District, has taken about 13 years without being repaired despite numerous protests by the residents.

According to residents, the sorry state of the bridge has greatly hindered trade and access to social services, including health and education facilities, in the neighbouring districts.

The current state of Namulo Bridge, Butaleja District

Mr Geoffrey Wandera, a resident, said the government’s failure to repair the bridge has continued to put their lives at risk.
“Most of the main roads are impassable. The bridges and culverts were either destroyed or washed away by floods. The government should come to our rescue. We have suffered enough,” said Wandera.

He added that some of the travellers have had their legs fractured and others have narrowly survived drowning in River Manafwa because the timber on the bridge is rotten.

He thus asked the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to collaborate with district authorities to remove the rotten timber and replace it with new ones and additional metal splice plates if possible.

He said the condition of the bridge continues to deteriorate and it is only a matter of time before it completely collapses.

Samaritans pull a drunk resident who fell off the bridge

Residents further add that President Museveni is yet to fulfil his pledge to tarmac Lwangoli-Butaleja-Busolwe-Namutumba and Busolwe-Nangongera roads.
“Mr Museveni’s promise to tarmac roads, which he made in 1993 when the district was still Bunyole County, has never come to pass,” Mr Joseph Wegulo, an elder, said.

He added that truck drivers, who ferry agricultural products from Himutu Sub-county to Mbale, stopped using the bridge.
“The prices of agricultural products have dropped due to the poor state of that bridge. The farmers have now fallen victim to middlemen, who take advantage of the impassable bridge to buy their products cheaply at farm gate prices,” he said.

A young man survives falling into a dangerous Bridge

Mr Hussein Guloba, a resident, said their support of the NRM party has not rewarded them with improved services.
“Our district is neglected by the government and our roads are in a poor state and nothing has been done,” another disgruntled resident said.

District officials say the flood water comes mainly from Mt Elgon and ends up in the area due to its low altitude.

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