The road is currently impassable after the torrential rains washed it away and creating water passageways. The road users accused the local leaders of neglecting the road despite several promises to upgrade the road. They said that the road does not have a single bridge, and whenever it rains, the roads submerge, rendering it impassable.
Residents in Napak
district have expressed concern over the poor state of the 7-kilometre road
that connects Lokopo sub-county to Matany town council.
The road is currently impassable after the torrential rains
washed it away. The road users accuse the local
leaders of neglecting the road despite several promises to upgrade it. They
said that the road does not have a single bridge, and whenever it rains, the
road submerges, rendering it impassable.
Robert Loduk, a boda boda rider, said that it is unfortunate
to see such bad roads existing, yet they voted for leaders who promised to fix
the roads.
Loduk said that the road has been in a poor state for a long
time, and it always becomes worse during the rainy season. He pleaded with their leaders to consider fulfilling with
what they promised during the previous elections.
"Our leaders promised to work on this road last time
during the campaigns. I am wondering why they are not working on it. We need
action, not words," Loduk lamented.
Maria Adiaka, a businesswoman in Matany town council said
urged the government to fix the road because they use it to access most of
their needs.
Adiaka said that the road is mainly used by people who run
businesses in the Matany town council and also to access health services in the
Matany hospital. She added that they now spend a lot of money on transport
since the motorists use the distant main road.
John Baptist Achilla, another cyclist, said that the poor
road network has forced them to use long routes to access the Matany Town
Council from Lokopo sub-county. He said that the situation is worse during the rainy
season because the water flows fast, blocking the road.
//Cue in: "Matany to Lokopo.....
Cue out:.to other main road".//
Thomas Otim, a community-based Monitor working with Karamoja
Anti-Corruption Coalition, said that most of the issues that affect service
delivery have not been given the attention by the authorities.
He highlighted that issues related to infrastructure
development, such as in schools, health, and roads, are often reported to the
authority, but they hardly take action.
//Cue in: " there is a........
Cue out:...of the business people".//
Daniel Korobe, the LCIII Chairperson of Matany Town Council,
acknowledged that the road is in a poor state and requires urgent
rehabilitation.
Korobe said that the town council does not have funds for
repairing the road. He said that they only collect small revenues from the town
council, which cannot fix the problem on the said road.
He said that since the road is shared between the two sub-counties
of Lokopo and Matany, they would jointly work on the repairs, but they lack
resources.
//Cue in: "that road because...
Cue out:..a river there".//
Napak LCV Chairperson, John Paul Kodet,
when contacted on the phone, said that the road in the road in question belongs
to the sub-county and it is their responsibility to maintain it.
