Residents and business operators in Buhoma Town Council, Kanungu District, have protested the deteriorating condition of the Kanyantorogo–Buhoma–Bwindi road, saying the numerous potholes are negatively affecting tourism and local trade.
The 32-kilometre murram road serves as a key access route to the renowned Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of Uganda’s leading tourism destinations and home to the endangered mountain gorillas.
Agaba Twinomujuni, a 36-year-old boda boda rider in Buhoma, accused political leaders of repeatedly making promises to upgrade the road without taking action.
“We have waited for a long time. Every time we meet our leaders, both local and national, we tell them about the sorry state of this road, but they have ignored the problem,” Twinomujuni said.
Residents say the road has remained in poor condition for years, making travel difficult for both tourists and local communities.
However, Kinkizi West MP James Kaberuka said he remains committed to lobbying government to rehabilitate the road.
“I will continue pushing the government to work on this road. Next week, I plan to visit the Ministry of Works and Transport and present the current state of the road,” Kaberuka said.
Kanungu District Woman MP Patience Kinshaba Nkunda acknowledged the poor condition of the road and stressed its importance to the tourism sector.
“I am aware of the sorry state of this road and I am going to engage officials at the Ministry of Works and Transport. As I engage the concerned offices, I ask the affected community to be patient with us,” Kinshaba said.
Tour operators in the area say the deteriorating road is increasing travel time between Kanyantorogo and Buhoma while also causing frequent vehicle breakdowns, which negatively affects visitors' experiences.
They warn that unless urgent repairs are undertaken, the road's condition could undermine tourism activities in the area and affect revenues generated from visitors travelling to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.