BULAMBULI — A bridge that was meant to end years of transport challenges in Bulambuli District has instead become a source of frustration for residents, who say the Shs504 million structure is unusable whenever it rains.
The bridge was constructed across the Simu River between Bulambuli Town Council and Bukhalu Sub-county under the 2025/2026 financial year, with government hoping to improve transport, trade, and access to essential services.
For decades, residents struggled to cross the river and adjacent flood channels, relying largely on makeshift footbridges.
The project was expected to be completed in April this year, but residents say the bridge has failed to serve its intended purpose. Whenever heavy rains occur, floodwaters spread across the bridge approaches, cutting off access and making it impossible for vehicles and motorcycles to cross.
Residents have blamed the project's design, alleging that engineers diverted the river and constructed the bridge over a newly created channel while the original river continues to flow beneath a temporary footbridge.
They also accuse Bulambuli Town Council of constructing the bridge without completing the connecting access roads, effectively defeating its purpose of linking the two communities.
"We have three bridges altogether, but they offer no solution," said Michael Mandu, the chairperson of Butaa Ward.
"They told us they would improve the road and construct a proper bridge, but we still have to undress to navigate the flooded path."
Another resident said the situation continues to affect access to essential services.
"Even accessing social services is a challenge," the resident said.
Bulambuli County MP Emmanuel Biara has called for investigations into the project and urged authorities to hold responsible officials accountable.
"Not even a single vehicle or a boda boda can cross," Biara said.
The Resident District Commissioner, George Magunda, has directed the implementing authorities to rectify the defects within one month.
Bulambuli Town Council Clerk Joseph Magona acknowledged that the bridge is not fully serving its intended purpose but defended the engineering process.
He said the river was relocated following hydrological studies conducted by engineers and that additional funding is required to complete the remaining works.
According to Magona, an extra Shs300 million is needed to construct flood-control infrastructure and access roads that would make the bridge fully functional.
For residents, however, the bridge remains an expensive promise yet to be fulfilled, with the old wooden crossings continuing to provide the only reliable means of crossing the river during periods of heavy rainfall.
