Severe floods sweep away Katonga Bridge, disrupting travel to Western Uganda, Rwanda and Eastern DRC

Western Uganda and Kampala are now separated

Katonga bridge in Mpigi district, has been completely swept away by severe floods, resulting into serious transport difficulties to the large part of Western Uganda.

The bridge destruction is also likely to severely impact people movement as well as trade and tourism for both Ugandans and neighbouring countries Rwanda, DRC and Burundi, for whom the road link is their main import and export artery.

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) which is in charge of making and repairing most roads has diverted traffic to the newly constructed but smaller Mpigi-Kanoni-Maddu-Masaka Road.

UNRA said in a statement on Twitter that it’s engineers had been deployed at the site to find a solution.

However given the severity of the floods, occasioned by heavy rains lately, a quick solution is unlikely. Uncertainty also stems from the fact that the authority has tried several times to fix this area but in vain.

In addition, UNRA says it will embark on works once the heavy floods have subsided.

Many people have however blamed the government for failing to provide for an alternative route for such a vital trade and communication route, including tamacking parts of nearby roads that connect Mpigi to Masaka.

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