Mbarara leaders reveal why district roads are in poor state

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

The status of road networks in Mbarara district is shambolic due to lack of key road equipment. The available ones are beyond repair with the grader the latest to break down.

This was revealed during the district roads committee meeting that was held at Mbarara district headquarters in Kamukuzi recently.

Broken road equipment includes a truck, water boozer, an excavator and the grader.

It was revealed that the grader alone requires about Shs125m to repair.

The district has so far received Shs500m out of the shs1bn for roads maintenance in this financial year.

“Once we receive the money for the second and third quarter we shall use that money to repair the equipment to make sure that we work on all the roads in the sub-counties and also in the district,” Basil Bataringaya, the Kashari north Member of Parliament and the Mbarara district roads committee chair said.

MP Bataringaya is the same MP who moved a motion on the floor of parliament in 2023 that the government should allocate each district and municipality Shs1 billion for maintenance of roads. And the motion was passed. So far Shs500m has been released.

According to Didas Tabaro, the Mbarara district LC5 chair, the district has got only one road unit (Grader) and has gotten old. He also revealed that some other road equipment is shared with the neighbouring districts like Rwampara which has also become a challenge.

”I want to appeal to our people and the locals to also help us and do some temporary maintenance on our small roads during this time when the district is in an emergency. Do not wait for the government when there is a problem,”Tabaro appealed.