The Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) is attempting to restore the Mbale-Busamaga-Bufumbo bridge after four months of not being motorable.
The bridge was washed away by torrential rains in August after River Nabuyonga burst its banks, leaving 29 people dead and about 1,500 displaced.
However, four days after its completion, it collapsed again, leaving locals and leaders furious as they accused Unra of corruption and poor workmanship.
Mr Hassan Nazeba, a resident and opinion leader, said he advised Unra officials, who were restoring it, not to use culverts and soil on an overflowing river but they were adamant.
“They thought I was politicking as they continued to use mere soil and culverts and yet such a bridge must be real concrete and high rise. Nowadays nobody in the government does anything right,” he claimed.
Mr Nazeba explained the previous governments in the 1960s had better engineers unlike today where culverts that are supposed to be installed at low points on the road, are instead being used to act as bridges.
While Unra public relations officer Allan Ssempebwa acknowledged the bridge collapse, he assured residents that restoration works were ongoing.
“We are still doing restoration work at the bridge after heavy floods. We have not finished,” he said during a phone interview with the Daily Monitor on Tuesday.
Unra on the spot
Mr Abdallah Magambo, the Mbale City deputy speaker and councillor representing the affected area, said Unra should be tasked to explain why the bridge broke down a week after completion.
“The bridge, which was revived a week ago by Unra engineers, collapsed. That is how taxpayers’ money is wasted in Uganda. Cheap, quick but costly activities. There was no value for money,” he said.
Mr Magambo, who supervised the construction of the bridge, claimed that Unra altered the designs for selfish reasons, an allegation its officials denied.
“First and foremost, Unra came with designs of constructing a bailey bridge at this spot as a long-term solution but I wondered where the decision of using culverts came from. I and others attempted to stop Unra from using these culverts but since they were so technical, they reasoned us out,” he said.
Mbale-Bufumbo is among the bridges that locals had for long tasked the government to restore to ease movement.
Other bridges are Nashikasho, Namawane, Nagairrira, Bukhatoko, Ndohwe, Nambitsi, Namakole, and Nabuyonga.
Mr David Mudebo, a boda boda rider, said it’s unfortunate that the hope of using the bridge again has been shattered after a short time.
“The Unra engineers came in to restore the bridge and we were hopeful. They have succeeded in blindfolding us to collect money for Christmas in the name of repairing the bridge. This government is rotten,” he said.
Mr Mudebo said they have registered numerous accidents as a result of using makeshift bridges for the past four months. “It’s very expensive for us to use other roads to access the city,” he said.
Ms Jessica Mukwana, a businesswoman, said she is being charged double the cost of transporting her produce to Mbale central market.
“I have been using Shs2,000 to access the town but I am now being charged 5,000 because we are using a longer route,” she said.
Mr Cassim Namugali, the mayor of Mbale City, said he was appalled by the situation and called for government intervention.
Locals making losses
“How will our cities grow when such bridges that support and link up businesses are down? People are stranded and I also call up Unra to put their house in order and restore the bridge so that traffic can flow,” he said.
Mr Seth Wambede, the Northern City Division MP, said it is unfortunate that the government has delayed to act on washed away bridges yet people’s livelihoods are being tremendously affected.
“Northern City Division is one of those with the highest number of broken bridges and this is affecting businesses since movement of goods and services is being curtailed,” Mr Wambede explained.
Background
Unra has been complaining over lack of enough funds for maintenance of roads and bridges. The executive director of the Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra), Ms Allen Kagina, last month told lawmakers that her entity is struggling to clear a debt of more than Shs140b.
Appearing before Parliament’s committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase), Ms Kagina said the Authority is yet to pay several project affected persons. She added that a huge chunk of the money given to the Authority is used to clear debts. She said: “… in the first quarter, we didn’t get a shilling on development and yet we are continuing to go to people and saying we want land to construct roads.”
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