Residents of Nsambwe in Mukono Municipality and neighbouring villages of Ttakajjunge and Kikubakima in Nama sub-county, Mukono district, have endured the effects of a collapsed bridge for nearly three years as district and sub-county authorities bicker over who is responsible for maintaining the road and bridge.
The collapse has disrupted transport, access to schools and health facilities, and local businesses. With no alternative route, residents have resorted to makeshift structures to cross the river, exposing students, boda-boda riders and other road users to daily risks.
Ssalongo Waswa Kizito, a resident, said a foreign national known as “Papa”, who runs Noah’s Ark Children’s Home, had maintained the road for about a decade.
Waswa said technical officials from Mukono District later imposed conditions and demanded money before allowing him to continue with the repairs. When “Papa” later brought a tractor to resume the work, Waswa said, he was stopped and taken away without an explanation to residents.
Waswa also alleged that people riding motorcycles bearing red government number plates had threatened anyone attempting to work on the road.
Residents and students who regularly use the route said “Papa” had kept the road passable for years until his efforts were halted following intervention by district officials.
They are now appealing to well-wishers to intervene, saying the makeshift crossings have become a danger to the community.
At a recent Nama sub-county council meeting, councillors Solomon Yiga and Mary Mbigidde rejected claims that the sub-county is responsible for the road.
They said the road had traditionally been maintained by Mukono district and that “Papa” had been carrying out the repairs in coordination with district authorities.
The councillors said they were willing to work with residents and well-wishers on temporary repairs while the responsible authority is established.
Yiga said residents had approached district authorities after the bridge collapsed but were later told that responsibility for the road had shifted to the sub-county.
He said the sub-county lacked the resources to undertake major rehabilitation works and appealed to well-wishers and factories operating in the area to contribute towards restoring the road and bridge.
In a phone interview, deputy speaker Mulamira Gashegu said the matter had been referred to the district chairperson.
Gashegu said the district was seeking about Shs 15 million to complete the works and had already engaged “Papa” over resuming repairs with support from residents.
The prolonged impasse has attracted the attention of state minister for Local Government Balaam Barugahare Atenyi, who last week called for an investigation into the collapsed bridge.
In a subsequent post on X, Barugahare said he had taken note of concerns over the structure, with some accounts indicating that the crossing at Nakyetinda in Ttakajjunge had been impassable for about two and a half years.
“I will investigate the matter and establish what has happened to the funds, if any were allocated for this bridge, and why it has remained impassable for about 2½ years,” Barugahare said.
He said that if an investigation establishes that funds were released for the bridge, he would pursue the money and seek accountability from those responsible.
If no funding had been provided, Barugahare said he would engage the relevant authorities to ensure the bridge is repaired.
The minister said he intends to visit the area and challenged the responsible authorities to act before his arrival.
“Let the bridge be repaired before my visit if the responsible authorities can act urgently. Our people should not suffer because of negligence or mismanagement,” he said.
Efforts to obtain comment from senior Mukono district officials, including the chief administrative officer, were unsuccessful after several unanswered calls.
District engineer Herbert Lutwama could also not be reached for comment. District spokesperson Derrick Kaddu Mbojjana said officials were still trying to locate the engineer to provide an official response.
The district’s position on the reported transfer of responsibility for the road to the sub-county therefore remained unclear by press time.