Nakaseke facing transport challenges due to heavy rains

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Transport is paralysed in several parts of Nakaseke district because of the heavy rains that have rendered several roads impassable.

The Most affected roads include Mugenyi-Kalagi-Kalagala, Kalagala-Lwamahungu-Kyamaheno, Lwesirizi-Kinoni-Biduku, Nakaseke-Kijege-Kasambya and Timuna-Lugogo, road which connects Nakaseke to Luweero district.

Most of the roads are flooded while some of them had their culverts washed away by the heavy rains. Benjamin Makanga, the Nakaseke District Works and Technical Service Secretary, says they couldn't work on most of the roads ahead of the rain season because budget cuts.

He explains that they only received Shillings 24 million out of the Shillings 159 million they expected from the Finance, Planning and Economics Development Ministry in the last quarter.

The appalling state of the road has affected the transportation of milk, charcoal; cattle and agriculture produce. John Rwomushana, a pastoralist in Kinoni Sub County says they are unable to transport their milks to the market because of the impassable roads.

William Ssemeere, a farmer in Kivule village in Kasangombe Sub County, says the poor state of the roads has prompted transporters to hike fares.

Anifa Namubiru, a resident along Timuna-Lugogo road says even pupils fear to cross some roads for fear in the flood water. Ignatius Koomu, the Nakaseke LC 5 Chairperson, says their hands are tied.

According to Koomu, in 2012 they received an incomplete road unit from government, which would have been instrumental in fixing the road network.

Recently, people along Timuna-Lugogo road staged a demonstration to protest the poor state of the roads in the district. The 2014/2015 financial year auditor General's report show that 74 percent of the 1849 kilometer road network in Nakaseke is impassable.

-URN