NEWS- The residents of Buyaga West County in Kagadi district this week held a peaceful demonstration protesting the poor state of Muhorro-Ndaiga Road.
The aggrieved locals claimed that the sorry state of several roads including Muhorro – Ndaiga road, Kisuura – obushera – Kamagari and other access roads in the district prompted them into the demonstration.
The residents argue that the poor state of the roads hampers development and has affected their livelihood.
On Monday morning, residents led by the local councilors and the Country director World Voices Uganda Gard Benda, decided to block the road using banana suckers and tree branches blocking traffic for several hours.
The Kagadi district female youth Representative Agnes Amanyire said the government has failed to consider Muhorro-Ndaiga Road in the 2023-24 financial year budget despite its poor state and hindrance to the economic development of the area.
She said the road has blocked expectant mothers and children from accessing health facilities and schools respectively, also affecting cross-border trade with neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Amanyire said the poor state of the roads has frustrated the youth’s efforts of starting self employment as some graduates failed to get absorbed into the civil service sector after completing their tertiary courses.
Meanwhile the leaders for the Bodaboda riders in Buyaga West including Joseph Akugizibwe and Ronald Akugizibwe decried the challenges they have faced on the Road such as loss of lives, disability, motorcycle damages among others.
The duo said many bodaboda riders acquired motorcycles on loans and have failed to pay back because the motorbikes have been damaged by the potholes.
They appealed to the government to fix the road quickly because it is likely to cause more damages as we head for rainy seasons.
They have called for the quick government intervention to work on the road.
At the same function, the country director World Voices Uganda Gard Benda asked the government to carry out routine maintenance of the Muhorro-Ndaiga Road as they wait for its tarmacking, reiterating its economic and security value to the country.
He said Muhorro-Ndaiga road connects to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border, asserting that if worked on, it will boost trade and international relations between the two Countries.
Benda further asked the government to consider the road for tarmacking in the next financial year budget of 2024-25.
Meanwhile during the demonstration, one protestor identified as only Tuhaise Magezi aged 25 a boda boda rider and resident of Muhorro Town-council was knocked dead by the vehicle purported to be for the Kagadi district local government.
