RUBANDA: FLOODS BRING DOWN HAMURWA BRIDGE AS STRONG MEN MAKE MONEY

By REUBEN AINOMUGISHA

www.mknewslink.com

In Rubanda

A section of very strong men from Rubanda district have taken advantage of the flooding at Hamurwa floating bridge which was washed away by heavy rains.

They are charging travelers between Shillings 1000 and 5000 to carry them on their backs across the flooded bridge.

At the start of this week, Authorities in Rubanda agreed to stop people from using Hamurwa-Kelele-Kanungu road after heavy rains washed away Hamurwa Bridge.

The DPC Rubanda SP Tai Ramadhan advised residents to instead use Nyamasizi-Kitagata-Kelele road for their own safety.

Motorists have complied with the directive; pedestrians have however continued using the same bridge arguing that Nyamasizi-Kitagata- Kelele road is very far.

However, many of them can’t cross on their own and so they pay between Shillings 2,000-7,000 to be carried on the back across the bridge. Motorcycles are aided to cross at between Shillings 4000-7000.

Martin Aineruhanga, a resident of Kashongati in Hamurwa Sub County, said they realized they can make some money out of the floods and therefore decided to charge little which has helped them in their well being.

Boaz Kato, Jonan Byonanebye and Peter Kyomukama both the residents expressed their disappointment about the silence of the leaders led by the Rubanda East MP, Henry Musasizi whom they said that he uses the same route while going but has never taken any step to see the road worked on.

However residents especially pedestrians have continued to use the road despite the presence of police officers who had ordered them to stop using the same road. 

Early in October two people died on sport at Hamurwa Bridge after flooding and an Isuzu track registration number UBE 344D got off the road into the ditch.

Augustine the UNRA Kabale branch manager declined to comment on the matter and he instead issued a statement promising the road users that the bridge will be worked on at a later time.

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