GIDEON T
Police in Rubanda District on Wednesday halted a community-led rehabilitation of the Kyokyezo–Karukara–Mparo road in Kyokyezo Parish, Nyamweru Sub-county, sparking frustration among residents and local leaders.
The road, which connects Nyamweru Sub-county to the Karukara weekly market and the Kabale–Kisoro highway, is a critical lifeline for ten villages in the area.
According to AIP Kakuru James, the community liaison officer for Rubanda District, police were alerted that the rehabilitation initiative was allegedly politically motivated. This prompted the deployment of a patrol vehicle to disperse the activity, a move that has since drawn condemnation from the community.
Residents, who had gathered in large numbers to work on the road, expressed deep disappointment. They stressed that their initiative was driven by a shared desire to solve a persistent infrastructure problem affecting transport, access to markets, and daily livelihoods.
The standoff has attracted the attention of Rubanda Woman MP and Commissioner of Parliament, Hon. Prossy Akampurira, and former Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson, Jogo Kenneth Biryabarema. Both leaders joined the community effort, pledging support for the road works.
Jogo Kenneth criticized the government’s failure to utilize increased funding effectively. He recalled that during his leadership, 370 million shillings was sufficient to maintain roads across the entire district. He questioned how current road funding, including an additional 1 billion shillings meant for emergency road works from the Ministry of Works and Transport, is being utilized, urging that Kyokyezo should be prioritized.
Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson Steven Kasyaba Ampeire acknowledged the dire state of road infrastructure. He noted that poor roads have significantly raised the cost of transporting goods and accessing essential services. Kasyaba also mentioned that the district is aware of the Kyokyezo road condition and has plans to address it, but current road operations are on hold due to the rainy season.
Hon. Prossy Akampurira, in her remarks, confirmed that Rubanda District received 1.5 billion shillings for road rehabilitation. However, she blamed poor service delivery on political wrangles among some leaders, which she said are impeding development efforts.
Residents and leaders alike are now urging government authorities to rise above political divisions and prioritize community needs, particularly critical infrastructure like roads, which directly impact economic development and daily life.
