President Museveni has faulted the Ministry of Works and Transport for neglecting the road network in Abim District, saying the deteriorating infrastructure has crippled transport and undermined economic activity in the area.
Speaking during a campaign rally in Abim on October 24, 2025, Museveni directed the ministry to urgently rehabilitate the district’s roads, many of which he said have become nearly impassable.
“The roads through Abim are in a terrible state. The Ministry of Works must ensure they are graded properly and maintained while we plan for tarmac,” Museveni said.
“The tarmac can come in phases — from Lira, Pader, and Soroti — but for now, the ministry should at least make the roads passable.”
He also criticized ministry engineers for failing to construct proper water channels, saying their negligence has contributed to recurrent flooding and road destruction.
“The Ministry of Works people have failed to make proper water channels. That’s why the roads are always flooding,” he noted.
In recent months, sections of the Abim road network have become nearly unusable, with several incidents of flooding reported.
At Alito Bridge, some travelers have drowned while attempting to cross into the district, while the Napak–Abim and Pader–Abim roads often become impassable during the rainy season, stranding buses and taxis for days.
The President’s remarks came as part of his campaign trail in Karamoja, where he has consistently emphasized infrastructure development as a key driver of trade, agriculture, and service delivery in the region.