Residents of Rukungiri District are set to benefit from improved transport services after district authorities approved plans to rehabilitate 20 roads spanning 170 kilometres in the 2026/2027 financial year.
Under the approved district budget of Shs69.1 billion, Shs1.87 billion has been allocated to the Roads and Engineering Department to support road maintenance, bridge rehabilitation and culvert installation across various sub-counties.
Documents from the district Works Department show the projects will be implemented under two programmes — Routine Mechanized Maintenance funded through the Road Maintenance Grant, and Routine Manual Maintenance financed by the Uganda Road Fund.
The mechanized maintenance programme will cover 12 roads measuring 90.6 kilometres. Roads scheduled for rehabilitation include Kikarara–Garuka–Kyabahanga, Mabanga–Kahengye, Nyabikuku–Rwakigaju, Kabaranga–Murago–Nyakisorora and Ruhinda–Rwengiri, among others.
The manual maintenance programme will focus on eight roads stretching 80 kilometres, including Kigaga–Birara, Buyanja–Nyakagyeme, Rukungiri–Rubabo–Nyarushanje, Nyakishenyi–Marashanino–Kyabamba and Kebisoni–Mabanga–Kihanga–Ikuniro.
The district also plans to undertake four major bridge and culvert improvement projects aimed at improving drainage and minimising transport disruptions during the rainy season.
The planned works include installation of reinforced concrete culverts at Mugina water crossing on the Kabaranga–Murago–Nyakisorora Road, repair of steel culverts at Kigoyi water crossing on the Nyakishenyi–Marashanino–Kyabamba Road, construction works at Buturwa water crossing on the Kisiizi–Nyarurambi–Kamaga Road, and procurement of 433 reinforced concrete culverts for various roads, mainly along the Rukungiri–Rubabo–Nyarushanje Road.
District officials said the infrastructure upgrades are expected to improve movement of goods, especially agricultural produce, while enhancing service delivery and connectivity across the district.
