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Rukiga Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Floods have submerged Rushebeya-Kitaraka Footbridge in Rwamucucu Sub County in Rukiga district affecting the movement of residents. The half-kilometre footbridge snakes through Kitanga-Rushebeya wetland and connects Burime and Nyakagabagaba parishes in Rwamucucu Sub County as well as Kitunga and Ngoma parishes in Kashambya Sub County.
It also connects to Rwempisi primary school, Rwempisi Vocational Secondary School, Kihorezo Primary and Secondary School, Rwanjura and Kirundwe Health Centre IIs. However, the footbridge has been submerged for the past week resulting from flooding triggered by heavy rains. Residents say Rukiga district authorities haven’t come to their aid.
Denis Kapigo, a resident of Bweeza village in Kitojo parish and Eddie Mugisha, Rwamucucu sub-County LC V councillor, say although the problem has lasted for over a week, it escalated on Monday afternoon following heavy rains that lasted for about three hours.
According to the duo, residents are now finding difficulties to cross to either side of the wetland.
Wilson Taremwa, a resident of Burime and Roland Magaba, a resident of Ibumba parish, says a team of officials from the District and the Works and Transport Ministry visited the footbridge sometime back and promised to upgrade it but to date nothing has been done.
Shallon Atuheire Byaruhanga, another resident says energetic men have now turned the problem into a source of income. They charge Shillings 2,000 to carry people across the wetland.
Efforts to talk to the Rukiga District Engineer James Kiganda were futile because of his known mobile telephone number was off. Jackson Muganiizi, the Rukiga District LC V Vice-Chairperson attributes the delayed rehabilitation of the footbridge to misunderstandings between district authorities and area leaders.
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