Heavy rains make Manafwa bridge impassable

Heavy rains have cut off Manafwa Bridge. Manafwa bridge connects Mbale to Butaleja and part of western Tororo.

At present, residents are unable to use the bridge which is submerged under the water.

A resident of Bugembe who was heading to Doho called Ssalongo Erias has already lost his motorbike to the raging floods that have swamped Manafwa bridge.

Erias spent three days trying to recover his motorbike. He had been on his way to pick up his children.

Residents blame the authorities for neglecting the bridge which has been in poor condition for decades.

"The bridge is narrow and very low that is why it is easily submerged whenever the water volume raises," noted Hussein Mugumbu Vambino, a resident.

"If Museveni has failed to fix the problem let him pave way for the ghetto boys," said an angry youth. The ghetto boys is a reference to self-proclaimed ghetto president and now Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine).

Relief and Disaster Preparedness minister Musa Ecweru blamed the current issue on shoddy work.

Ecweru was in the region to access the impact of floods on the communities.

"I don't need to be a rocket engineer to understand that this is sub-standard work. Those who did it let down the country," said Ecweru adding that he will write to the prime minister  who will direct the relevant bodies to restore the bridge.

In addition to the bridge, several community roads have been submerged.

Butaleja is at the receiving end of heavy water flow from Mt Elgon as the rainy season stretches into June. The most affected districts are Bududa, Manafwa and Namisindwa.