When Ibanda became a municipality in 2016, residents expected the new status to bring improved roads, better drainage systems and a modern transport network capable of supporting the area’s growing population and commercial activities.
However, a decade later, many residents say the transformation has been slow, with several roads still struggling with potholes, poor drainage and deterioration, especially during rainy seasons.
Although some roads have been graded, widened and rehabilitated over the years, residents say many others remain difficult to access, increasing transport costs, damaging vehicles and affecting business operations.
Residents in Bufunda Division are among those facing the challenges.
"Some roads become very difficult to use whenever it rains. Transport costs increase because vehicles spend more time on the road, and we are forced to repair our vehicles more often due to the poor road conditions," one resident said.
Transport operators say the poor state of roads has increased vehicle maintenance costs, caused frequent breakdowns and extended travel times, costs which are eventually transferred to passengers.
Business owners also say poor roads affect customer access and increase the cost of transporting goods into and within the municipality.
"We appreciate the roads that have already been worked on, but several roads still need urgent rehabilitation. Good roads are essential if businesses are to grow," another resident said.
Among the roads residents have identified as requiring urgent attention are Bitature Road, Kagongo Road and Mpira Street, which they say remain in poor condition despite Ibanda marking a decade since it became a municipality.
Municipal authorities acknowledge the challenges but attribute the slow pace of improvement to limited resources, inadequate equipment and the municipality’s rapid expansion.
Ibanda Municipal Town Clerk Authman Ssebaduka said limited funding, insufficient road construction equipment and increasing infrastructure demands have affected efforts to improve the road network.
He said the municipality still relies on machinery borrowed from Ibanda District for routine road maintenance, a situation that often delays works because district projects also require the equipment.
Deputy Mayor Fred Banywana said the municipality remains committed to improving roads and is implementing infrastructure projects through various government programmes.
He added that Ibanda is expected to benefit from the next phase of the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme, which will focus on improving urban roads and drainage systems.
"We are committed to improving our road network despite the financial constraints we face. We appeal to residents to remain patient as more road projects are implemented and additional resources become available," Banywana said.
As Ibanda Municipality marks 10 years of urban status, residents say the condition of roads remains one of the clearest measures of whether the municipality has delivered on its development promise.
They argue that improved roads would reduce transport costs, attract investment, improve service delivery and support economic growth.
While authorities point to progress made over the past decade, residents insist that more investment is needed if Ibanda is to achieve the modern urban transformation envisioned when it attained municipality status in 2016.