By Isaac Nuwagaba
The Minister of Information, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, was forced out of his car after it got stuck in mud following a downpour which started on Wednesday night until Thursday morning in Kanungu district.
According to onlookers, the minister asked the locals to help push his Landcruiser VX out of the mud. This happened in the Kinkizi East Constituency he represents in Parliament.
The locals successfully pushed the car out of the mud, and he rewarded them with some money, according to onlookers.
After the scenario, his driver sped off to Kanungu town.
State of roads in Kanungu
Most of the roads in Kanungu are messy, especially during rainy seasons. The state of the roads has impeded the transportation of goods and services to and through the district.
The road connecting Kanungu to Rukungiri district (Rukungiri – Kihiihi – Ishasha – Kambuga) is in a bad state. The locals’ call to the Government to tarmac the road hasn’t been answered.
According to Ambrose Kweronda, a Ishasha, Nyanga parish resident in Kihiihi sub-county, transporting agricultural products from the area has left many counting losses.
“I sell Irish potatoes from Kanungu to Kampala, but it becomes a big challenge when we incur a lot of transport costs, especially when the cars get stuck in the mud,” he said.
Julius Tukamushaba, Rugyeyo sub-county LC111, said the worst affected roads are those under the care of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), adding that he had informed the relevant authorities about the same, but nothing has been done.
Eng. Alison Twine, the Kabale station manager, who is also helping Kanungu district address road construction and maintenance issues, said efforts are being made to ensure all affected roads in Kanungu district and elsewhere are worked on in the shortest time possible.
The Government has been promising to work on Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha-Kambuga road and Kihihi-Kanungu-Kambuga roads, but works haven’t taken off.
These main roads connect the district to the Democratic Republic of Congo border, Kisoro district, Kabale and Rukungiri.
