For the last two days, business has remained stand still and paralysed as the Bridge connecting Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo at Mpondwe collapsed.
The Cargo trucks from Uganda to DRC todate remain parked at Mpondwe in Kasese District while those from DRC remain parked at Kasindi Town in Kasese.
The Bridge collapsed on 2nd Dec 2023 and has not been fixed todate.
Lt Maate Magwara, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner in charge of Bukonzo County, said the bridge collapsed due to continuous vandalism of the materials used during its construction, noting that heavy trucks cannot cross via the makeshift bridge improvised by UNRA.
The collapse of this bridge will affect Uganda’s economy if it’s not fixed urgently. According to the data available Uganda earned 418 Millon US Dollars form DRC in 2020 which is a huge boost to our economy.
Uganda is constructing over 223km of tarmac road in DRC at a cost of 443 bn to ease trade and for security purposes, however analysts wonder why the main bridge connecting the two countries is in Sorry state.
The collapse of this Bridge during a rainy season is in addition to Katonga bridge which collapsed in May 2023, Kafu bridge on Kampala Hoima High Way which flooded for weeks without being used and Kafu bridge at Masindi – Kampala high way.
