Mukono residents suffer as collapsed bridge triggers 3-year blame game

What the report says

Residents of Nsambwe in Mukono Municipality and nearby villages in Nama sub-county are still coping with a collapsed bridge and road section that has reportedly disrupted travel for nearly three years, according to The Observer. The breakdown has made it harder to reach schools, health facilities and local businesses, and people have been using improvised crossings that they say expose pedestrians, students and boda-boda riders to daily danger.

The paper reports a dispute between Mukono district and Nama sub-county officials over who should maintain the route. Residents quoted in the article said a local foreign national known as “Papa,” who runs Noah’s Ark Children’s Home, had long helped keep the road usable, but that his repair efforts later faced interference from district technical officials. Sub-county councillors Solomon Yiga and Mary Mbigidde denied that Nama sub-county was responsible, saying the road had traditionally been handled by the district and that they were open to temporary fixes while the proper authority is clarified.

Deputy speaker Mulamira Gashegu told the paper the matter had been referred to the district chairperson, and said the district was seeking about Shs 15 million for the work. State minister for Local Government Balaam Barugahare Atenyi has also called for an investigation, saying he wants to establish whether money was allocated and why the crossing has remained unusable for so long.

The Observer said attempts to obtain a full response from senior district officials were unsuccessful, leaving the official position unclear at the time of publication.