NELSON K
Residents of Hamurwa Sub-county in Rubanda and those in Rutenga Sub-county in Kanungu District remain hopeless, raising daily concerns over the poor state of the Hamugwa-Kereere-Kanungu road, which has hindered economic development.
The road, which is in a stagnant state, connects Hamugwa in Rubanda West to Kanungu District. Residents from both districts have been using it to transport their goods to distant markets. However, a significant loophole has developed along the swampy section in Hamugwa Sub-county. As a result, the area has become waterlogged after rains, completely hindering the transport network.
The LC5 district councillor for Hamurwa Sub-county, who is also the Deputy Speaker of Rubanda District, Pierre Mbabazi, said in an exclusive interview with Boona Radio that the challenge cannot be solved by the sub-county in partnership with the district due to the swampy and waterlogged nature of the area. Although they have tried applying marram at the affected spot in Hamugwa, it sinks and disappears.
Pierre added that the challenge is not only on the Hamugwa-Kereere-Kanungu road but also on the Kabale-Kisoro road, particularly at Mutebire’s farm in Hamugwa. Tarmac application failed, and although technicians attempted to apply marram, it always sinks, making quality road construction difficult.
He therefore emphasized that only the executive government’s intervention can prioritize the construction of a high-quality long bridge made of metal or consider rerouting the road entirely instead of relying on repeated marum applications.
Meanwhile, hopes of resolving the challenge through the sub-county or Rubanda District local government are completely diminished, as they lack the necessary funds to construct a high-quality metal bridge. Pierre urged the affected residents to be patient or consider using alternative routes for transport and communication.
In response, the Rubanda East Constituency MP and Minister of State for General Duties, Hon. Henry Musasizi Ariganyira, while speaking with Boona Radio, stated that the main cause of the road’s poor state and stagnancy is the persistent rainfall, which leaves the area waterlogged due to its swampy nature. He added that Rubanda District local government had previously spent UGX 570 million to repair the same spot, but it deteriorated again because of continuous rains. However, he expressed hope that they would try again to apply marrum during the dry season when there’s no rain.
