Luwero residents resort to community services as rains cut off roads

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Luwero District have turned to community service to repair roads after heavy rains worsened their condition. The district has a road network of over 1,360 kilometers, with 628 kilometers maintained by the district, 164.51 kilometers by urban councils, and 567.3 kilometers by sub-counties. However, many roads have become impassable or cut off due to the rains.

In response, residents along the Kazinga-Kalongo road in Butuntumula sub-county conducted minor repairs to facilitate transportation until the district could intervene. Hassan Kimera, the Defense Secretary of Kalongo village, reported that culverts on the road collapsed and were swept away by floods, paralyzing transport. Residents had to use longer routes to travel from Butuntumula sub-county to Luwero town council.

George William Ssendege, a pastor in Kazinga village, recounted a near-miss incident where he and others nearly fell into a swamp after discovering the culverts had been swept away. Esther Muwanguzi, another resident, noted that motorists had avoided the road due to its poor condition, affecting the transport of people and goods. Despite appeals to Butuntumula sub-county and Luwero District for repairs, no action was taken.

In response, on Friday, residents, supported by Ronald Ndawula, the District National Resistance Movement Chairman, mobilized to install new culverts and repair the damaged section. Ndawula donated the culverts and hired a grader to assist in the repairs.

Ndawula criticized the district leadership for not utilizing a one billion shillings grant from the government to improve the roads, impacting the transportation of people and goods. He emphasized his commitment to assisting residents with minor repairs until the district takes over.

Erastus Kibirango, the LC 5 Chairman of Luwero District, stated that the district needed over 200 million shillings to install the culverts and complete other necessary works on the road, which had not been accounted for in the budget. Kibirango explained that with the one billion shillings grant, the district could only maintain 70 kilometers of road, excluding swampy areas.

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