Kasese commissions foot cable bridge on river Lhubiriha

Kasese , Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Kasese District local government has commissioned a suspended foot cable bridge on River Lhubiriha. 

The cable bridge connects Kitholu and Karambi Sub Counties. It was built by Bridge to Prosperity; a US based non-governmental organization in partnership with the government of Uganda under the cable footbridge programme that aims at improving connectivity in hilly areas of the country.

Sibendere Bigogo Geoffrey, Kasese District LC 5 Chairperson, says the construction of the bridge is a big relief to residents in the tow sub-counties who have been facing enormous challenges of accessing their gardens and markets on both sides.   

He also notes that the absence of a bridge had become a security threat to residents in the area.  

Bigogo says the district allocated Shillings 280M in this financial year budget to kick start the construction of a motorable bridge. 

He also appealed to government to expedite the repair of bridges that were affected by flooding to ease the movement of goods and services.

Denis Baluku, the Kyabayinzi village LC I Chairperson in Kitholu told URN on Monday that business on both sides of bridge has been paralysed since May when floods washed away the main bridge. 

“I want to thank leaders for this work but we still request for a motorable bridge to facilitate the movement of vehicles,” he said.

Joachim Singoma, one of the residents in the area notes that with the cable bridge, they will be able to access markets, health centers and schools among other facilities.  

He, however, calls upon the government to construct a modern bridge to enable the movement of vehicles.

Ramulah Masika, a resident of Kitholu Sub County says they have been incurring huge costs on paying people to carry their goods across the river.  

Kasese district was devastated by floods in May this year after three major rivers of Nyamwamba in Kasese town, Mubuku in Ibanda-Kyanya town council and River Nyamughasana in Kyalhumba sub-County burst their banks and displaced over 39,000 people. 

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