Residents, road users, and area councillors of Busamaga Ward today staged a protest along the Mbale-Nkokonjeru road, specifically from Mbale High Court to Wanale and Budwale sub-counties in Mbale District, decrying the road’s deteriorated condition, which has remained unaddressed for over 25 years.
The 21-kilometer Mbale-Nkokonjeru road was once tarmacked by previous governments but started deteriorating in the mid-1990s.
Over time, the remaining tarmac was completely eroded, leaving behind a dusty and hazardous stretch that has posed serious challenges to residents and road users.
Residents expressed frustration over the poor state of the road, citing frequent accidents, respiratory illnesses caused by excessive dust, and poor living conditions.
"We eat and sleep in dust because vehicles move 24 hours a day. Many of our loved ones have died in accidents, and we constantly fall sick due to the dust from speeding vehicles and motorcycles," one resident lamented.
Boda boda riders also voiced their grievances, stating that they have lost many colleagues to accidents and are constantly covered in dust.
They pleaded with authorities to intervene, as the dust poses a serious health risk, especially to their lungs.
Area councilors, including the area MPs Josephine Auma and Khalid Mugudwa, who led the protest, described the road as a death trap.
Auma condemned the area’s Members of Parliament for failing to push for the road’s reconstruction.
As the protest escalated, road users blocked the road, preventing vehicles and motorcycles from passing.
The Mbale Central Police Commander, alongside the Field Force Unit (FFU) Zonal Commander and the Officer in Charge (OC) of Mbale Central Police Station, intervened, engaging protesters in a peaceful dialogue.
The District Police Commander (DPC) sympathized with the residents and assured them that he understood their frustrations.
He then contacted Mbale City leadership, including Mayor Casim Namugali, the city clerk, and the president’s representative, Madam Asumin Nasike, who promptly convened an emergency meeting at the mayor’s office.
The meeting, attended by the Resident City Commissioner (RCC), deputy RCC, mayor, deputy mayor, city engineer, FFU Zonal Commander, DPC, councillors, and some residents, sought to address the concerns.
During the meeting, Mayor Namugali clarified that Mbale City Council is not responsible for the Mbale-Nkokonjeru road, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Works.
He urged the ministry to prioritize the road’s reconstruction.
RCC Asumin Nasike acknowledged the protestors' concerns and commended them for demonstrating peacefully.
She explained that the road was previously under the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) but had since been transferred back to the Ministry of Works.
She assured residents that the government has plans to tarmac the 21-kilometer stretch, though not in the current financial year.
Karim Masaba, the MP for Mbale Industrial City Division and chairperson of the Mbale City Roads Committee, expressed his disappointment over the government’s delay in rehabilitating the road.
He emphasized the road’s significance, as it connects to Bufumbo, Bukonde, Namayonyi, and Sironko District.
Masaba clarified that neither he nor the woman MP, nor the Mbale City Council, is responsible for constructing the road, as it is under the Ministry of Works.
He assured residents that the government is working on the road’s design before construction begins.
"I stand with you in this protest against the poor state of the road. I will continue to put pressure on the relevant authorities to ensure it is constructed," Hon. Masaba pledged.
He urged residents and road users to remain patient, assuring them that the road is part of the government’s plans and will be worked on once funds are allocated.