Kanungu district engineer on the run after newly built bridge collapses

What the report says

The Observer reports that Kanungu district engineer January Silangi Mugaye is being sought after the Kankoko bridge partially collapsed about three months after it was completed. The bridge is in Kanyashande village, Kihembe sub-county, on the Kihembe–Butogota–Bwindi road, and was built by the Kanungu district works department at a reported cost of Shs 40 million.

According to the report, part of the structure failed last week after heavy rainfall, disrupting movement on the route and renewing concerns about public works quality. Denis Tumukunde, the LC III chairperson of Kihembe sub-county, said residents had expected the bridge to solve long-running difficulties crossing River Kankoko, but were disappointed when the new structure failed after only a short period of use. He attributed the collapse to poor workmanship.

Kanungu deputy resident district commissioner Gaddie Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe alleged that substandard construction materials and methods were used, including old culverts, inadequate reinforcement bars and weak cement mixtures. He also questioned why the project began without an official groundbreaking involving local leaders, saying closer oversight might have helped enforce standards. The Observer reports that Rugaaju directed police to arrest Mugaye and other district works officials to aid investigations into suspected shoddy work and possible misuse of public money.

The collapse matters because the road is described as an important local link, including for tourists heading to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The allegations remain under investigation, and the report does not indicate that any official has been charged or that a formal finding of wrongdoing has been made.