Due to poor roads, Rukiga residents want district declared ‘hard to reach’

The residents made this plea on account of the poor road network in the district, Rukiga, which was once part of Kabale district until July 1, 2017.

Rukiga district comprises Kamwezi sub-county with 6,287 households, Kashambya 5,929, Bukinda 2,228, Rwaucucu 5,490, Muhanga town council 2,766, and Mparo town council 906 households, going by the records from the office of the Chief Administrative Officer and Physical Planning Department.

Rukiga’s road network

In spite of the residents’ gripe with government, the district has 659 kilometers of road network. Ninety-one (91) Kilometers of these are Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), 165 kilometers under the district, 95 kilometers under urban roads, and 308 kilometers are community access roads.

Nonetheless, these roads are said to be in a state of disrepair.

The residents also say parishes like Mukyogo in Kashambya sub-county have no roads, hampering service delivery by the government and commercial growth by the residents.

Thus, they want the district declared hard to reach as a means of having the government upgrade some of the roads like the Muhanga-Kisiizi road and Rutobo-Rwamatunguru-Kyogo road. The two roads President Yoweri Museveni pledged to tarmac during his political campaigns.

Gideon Akampurira, the Bukinda sub-county LCV councilor, chimed in saying the 8-kilometer Kandago-Kyerero road in Kandago parish as an alternative route to connect parts of Bukinda, Rwamucucu, and Kashambya sub-counties is in a deplorable state.

Robert Mbabazi Kakwerere, the Rukiga district LC5 chairperson, says service delivery by the district remains indifferent due to the hard-to-reach nature of the area.

The government is reportedly in the process of addressing the road challenges in the district.