At least
five people have lost their lives in accidents along the Mbale-Bufumbo road within
a space of two months, according to Police reports. The 14.5 kilometer road
that stretches from Mbale High court in Mbale City to Bufumbo Sub County is
filled with potholes and has a broken bridge.
It is also the main link between Mbale City and Mbale District. However, the
bridge at Busamaga broke down sometime in 2019 due to the heavy rains making it
hard for travellers to move freely. It also the major route used by farmers from
Buybyangu and Bufumbo sub-counties to transport their produce such as Irish
potatoes, cabbages, carrot, Bananas and milk to Mbale city.
Rogers
Taitika, the Elgon Region Police Spokesperson, says five people have died on
the road in accidents over the last two months. The latest accident occurred on
Monday evening where 27-year-old Aisha Woguti, a resident of Busamaga who
knocked dead by a speeding vehicle while riding on a Boda boda hospital for
delivery. Four other people sustained injuries in the same accident.
Last month,
a student of Islamic University in Uganda was knocked dead by Boda boda rider
escaping from police for violating the night-time curfew. Taitika said that
they plan to deploy traffic officers on the road to minimize accidents and
urged the road users to be cautious. He singles out the poor state of the road
coupled with bad driving as the major drivers of accidents on the road.
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Residents have decried the increasing accidents on the same spot on the road,
which they say has become deadly.
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Sowedi Mwima, one of the road users, says that the accidents on the road are
caused by riders while trying to dodge potholes and end up ramming into
vehicles.
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Abdallah Magambo, the Northern City Division West Councilor Elect for wonders
why the government has taken long to rehabilitate the road, which has turned into a deathtrap.
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Isaac Woniala, the Industrial City West Councilor Elect who doubles as Busamaga
ward council, says that they have severally approached Uganda National Roads
Authority over the issue of the road but their pleas have not yielded results.
He
says because of the bad state of the road, it is hard for people to access
their homes, schools and health facilities.
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Robert Kugonza, the Maintenance Engineer Uganda National Roads Authority Mbale
Sub Station told Uganda Radio Network that they have started maintenance works
on the road.
He says that they are replacing the current bridge with culverts
as they wait for the construction works to begin.
He said that the Roads Authority is aware of the bad state of the road and they
are doing what it takes to rectify the situation.
