KYENJOJO UGANDA: Shock and grief have engulfed residents of Kyamutunzi Town Council in Kyenjojo District after the R. Nyabukoni Bridge collapsed on Friday evening, disrupting movement between communities and raising fresh concerns over what residents describe as imbalanced development and poor service delivery in the area.
The bridge connects Rukukuru and Katoogo villages along the Katoogo–Rukukuru road, which links the communities to the main Kagadi–Kyenjojo road.
With the crossing reportedly impassable, residents are now being forced to use longer alternative routes, including the Rukukuru–Nturagye–Mukabira route, before connecting to the Kyamutunzi–Nyamyezi road and eventually reaching the Hoima–Kagadi–Kyenjojo highway.
Residents say the diversion is increasing transport costs and travel time, particularly for people seeking healthcare, education, markets and other essential services.
The Nyabukoni crossing had reportedly been constructed using temporary timber logs. Residents say the wooden structure had deteriorated over time, raising concerns about its safety and durability.
Video footage circulating on social media and reportedly recorded by an eyewitness shows residents gathered near the crossing, with fast-flowing water making it difficult and potentially dangerous for people to cross. The collapse has left residents calling for urgent intervention from authorities to restore a safe crossing.
Residents from Rukukuru, Katoogo and neighbouring communities fear that the collapse will further complicate access to schools, health facilities and markets. They say farmers who rely on the road to transport agricultural produce to markets may now incur higher transportation costs because of the longer alternative routes.
Residents also fear that prolonged disruption could affect the supply and movement of food and other essential commodities, potentially worsening food insecurity in the affected communities.
RESIDENTS RAISE DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS
Some residents have accused leaders and technical officials in Kyamutunzi Town Council and Kyenjojo District of failing to address what they describe as a longstanding infrastructure problem.
They say the bridge has relied on temporary timber logs for years and that repeated deterioration of the structure has left communities vulnerable to isolation whenever the crossing fails.
Residents further claim that the construction of a permanent bridge was repeatedly raised during the 2026 general election campaign, when political leaders reportedly promised to address the problem. They are now demanding that those commitments be followed by concrete action.
The residents have also used the bridge collapse to renew broader complaints about what they describe as unequal development and disparities in service delivery in the area.
By press time, residents said they had not received an official statement or visible intervention from Kyamutunzi Town Council, Kyenjojo District authorities or their elected representatives regarding the collapse.
They are calling on authorities to urgently assess the damage, provide a temporary safe crossing and begin planning for a permanent bridge.
It was not immediately clear whether district engineers had inspected the collapsed structure or whether an emergency assessment had been scheduled.
RESIDENTS PLAN TEMPORARY RECONSTRUCTION
As they await government intervention, residents from the affected communities were reportedly organising themselves to mobilise resources and reconstruct another temporary crossing.
They planned to begin the effort as early as Saturday, September 26, which coincides with the national cleaning exercise. Residents say their immediate objective is to restore a safe means of crossing River Nyabukoni while continuing to demand a permanent solution.
River Nyabukoni passes through parts of Nyankwanzi, Mabira and Kyamutunzi sub-counties before joining the wider Muzizi drainage system toward Lake Albert.
For residents of Rukukuru, Katoogo and neighbouring communities, the immediate concern is restoring connectivity to schools, health facilities, markets and major roads.
The collapse has renewed calls for authorities to replace the temporary timber crossing with a durable permanent bridge, which residents say would provide a more reliable connection for communities on both sides of the river.
