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River Kafu bursts it’s banks, blocks road as Hoima City MP calls on gov’t to intervene!
The Hoima City Woman MP Nyakato Asinansi has called on government through the Uganda National Roads Authority to work on the bridge at River Kafu which burst its banks hence disconnecting Hoima from Kampala.
The river burst it’s banks and overwhelmed the bridge that connects Hoima to Kampala at the boarder of Hoima and Kyankwanzi District less than 10 kilometers from Hoima City.
This happened on Monday at around 11:00 AM as the heavy downpour overwhelmed the bridge making it hard for motorists to cross the bridge to either sides. By lunch time motorists were stuck as they could not cross to or from Kampala. Some heavy trucks which attempted to cross were seen stranded in waters as they could not proceed.
A track stranded at River Kafu
Now people have to pass via Masindi if they are to access Hoima City which is costly and which is likely to hike the transport costs for people going to Hoima from Kampala and back. The other districts are Buliisa, Hoima & Kikuube which acess Kampala mainly through this road. Also affected are Kiboga and Kyankwanzi Districts because they access Social services from Hoima City
Other people who are affected are the residents of Kyankwanzi and Kiboga Districts who access services in education and health care from Hoima City as well as trade related services.
Speaking to our reporter, the Hoima City Woman MP Nyakato Asinansi blamed the environmental body the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) for not doing enough to protect the river as many people have encroached on it leading to climate change effects like flooding.
Nyakato Asinansi said that UNRA should come in and asses the bridge and make adjustments where necessary to address future scenarios.
Nyakato also told our reporter that she recently petitioned Parliament asking government to expand a section of the said road from Bukomero to Hoima saying that the increased traffic on the road resulting from the oil and gas activities have caused damage on the road.
Early this year the former Hoima District LCV Chairman Kirungi Kadiri died in a road accident as he travelled to Kampala along this road as he negotiated a pothole and rammed into another truck that was travelling to Kiboga