Residents and leaders in the villages along Mparo-Noozi-Butambi road in Rukiga district are angry after the contractor abandoned the project.
The government through the Ministry of Works and Transport contracted MITA Engineering and Logistics Limited to construct the 8.2-kilometre road under the District Urban and Community Access Roads program.
The road connects Rwamucucu Sub County, Mparo Town Council in Rukiga district and Nyamweru Sub County, in Rubanda district. It is also an alternative route connecting the Muhangi-Kisiizi-Kebisoni road via Rushebeya to the Kabale-Kisoro road via Hamurwa.
The rehabilitation was launched on January 2, 2024, and the contractor was given six months to complete the work covering the expansion, grading, installation of culverts and improving the drainage system at a cost of 1.06 billion Shillings. He was expected to hand over a completed road in June.
However, the contractor cleared part of the road in the first month and disappeared, sparking an angry reaction from locals and area leaders. Eddie Mugisha, the Rwamucucu sub-county Chairman says they were perturbed when the contractor withdrew equipment from the site without clear communication.
Prosper Niwaha, a resident of Kangondo trading centre, Rodney Ainembabazi a resident of Butaturwa village and Mathew Tumwakiire, a councillor in Rwamucucu sub-county say that the road is now in a worse state than before and are demanding for action from the district authorities.
Other residents; Jackson Ndinabo, Bruce Bariseeni Mwebaze, and Warren Arinda, say that they struggle to transport patients to health facilities as well as goods to Markets because the road is increasingly becoming impassable.
Rukiga County Member of Parliament Roland Ndyomugyenyi, says that they are going to engage the contractor to return to the site as soon as possible.
Jotham Taremwa Kagizirwe, the manager of Mita Engineering and Logistics Company Limited says they are still mobilizing the road equipment and funds to resume work.
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