Alexander Kyokwijuka, a resident of Kigarama in Maziba Subcounty, Kabale District has intervenned to save Maziba Bridge whose surface was wasting away due to old wood, putting lives of people at risk.
Kyokwijuka who has publicly expressed interest in the Ndorwa East Parliamentary seat, paid an undisclosed amount of money to buy timber and pay construction labour after residents cried to the authorities in vain.
The Bridge which connects Maziba Sub County to the rest of Kabale district, was constructed in 1966 and its wooden walkway has been replaced several times. Due to large holes and a shaky surface, heavy trucks cannot cross the bridge to the Sub County well known for the production of Matooke and pineapples. The same Bridge connects Kabale District to Rwanda through Kavu Parish.
Kyokwijuka told our reporter that he was forced to use his own funds to repair the Bridge after residents cried to him for help. He said that his offer was also out of concern for hundreds of local business people and school children who cross it everyday.
However, Kyokwijuka explained that his intervention was not enough and asked the Government through Uganda National Roads Authority – UNRA to consider providing a long term solution for the Bridge which has been repaired several times, but keeps wasting away.
Aloysious Tumwesigye Karoozi, a resident of Kamuronko village in Birambo parish said they petitioned Kyokwijuka after the subcounty authorities kept a deaf ear to cries of people who use the Bridge.
Deus Kurikayo a Boda Boda rider from Butanga Village in Karweru Parish, Maziba Subcounty said he was afraid that the large poteholes in the Bridge would cause fatal accidents and the blame would go to road users such as Boda Boda riders.
Mutungi Onesmus the LC. 3 Chairman Maziba Subcounty said they were not able to repair the bridge because of limited funding. He confirmed that he had received money from Mr. Kyokwijuka for temporary repairs after they asked management of Muvumbe Hydro Power plant in Maziba to help them in vain.
Mutungi further explianed that the bridge kept wasting away after repairs because the wood used on the surface was weak . He revealed that UNRA had promised to re-construct the Bridge, but the road agency had not specified the date.
Maziba Subcounty is one of the food baskets of Kabale District and many traders flock the area on a weekly basis to ferry pineapples, onions, and Bananas amaong others. In 2012, Maziba was the only Sub County left with Matooke after the outbreak of the Banana Bacterial wilt.
With an Impassable bridge farmers get stuck with piles of food, while buyers equally dread crossing the bridge.
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