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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA has intervened to save Ssezibwa bridge from submerging. The bridge connects Kayunga to Mukono district. It is used by many travelers connecting to and from Jinja, Mukono and Kampala districts trying to avoid traffic jam along Kampala-Jinja highway.
The route has become convenient to many Kenyans buses and traders especially farmers. However, Ssezibwa bridge was hit by moving papyrus last week obstructing water flow in River Ssezibwa and therefore affecting smooth traffic flow.
The papyrus blocked all culverts channeling water across the road increasing the water levels hence submerging the bridge. Water had also started flooding into people’s gardens destroying crops like potato, rice and bananas.
There are three major bridges on Ssezibwa river to allow for smooth water flow. However, the Kyabazaala and Nkoko bridges have been washed away by heavy rains this year. On Monday, UNRA started clearing the papyrus to ease water flow.
Jonathan Wazimbe the Kayunga District Engineer explains that whenever the moving swamp hits the bridge it prevents water from moving, which results in flooding and thereby weakens the bridge.
“It seems the current bridge is becoming old yet the water levels seem to increase and the river as well is getting wider, government needs to come up with another option. If they can set up another one it needs to be raised higher than the current one to avoid spending on maintenance,” Wazimbe told URN.
This is the second time in a period of three months that UNRA is clearing the bridge. Collins Kafeero, a concerned citizen, says he is worried about the state of the bridge, which he crosses each morning from Mukono to Kayunga for work.
Allan Ssempebwa, the UNRA Public and Media Relations manager says the authority has set aside money for maintaining the bridge.
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