Kiryandongo, Uganda: Residents of Karagalya village in Kyankende Parish, Kyankende Sub County, have taken the initiative to repair their community roads following prolonged flooding and neglect by political leaders.
The exercise, launched Friday, June 13, 2025, was spearheaded by area LC1 Chairperson Mr. Samson Odokpou, who said he mobilized residents last week during a burial ceremony.
According to Odokpou, multiple appeals had been made to local councillors and MPs to support the community with road maintenance materials, especially culverts, but yielded no results.
“One politician gave us culverts, but they are now in a sorry state. As a leader, I cannot sit back and watch the road our community uses daily deteriorate, especially with heavy trucks transporting maize, bricks, and sand,” Odokpou said.
The road section in question becomes impassable during rainy seasons, cutting off access and damaging livelihoods.
Mr. Ismail Oryeda, chairperson of the village elders, noted that the community is considering revising old bylaws requiring every road user to either participate in maintenance activities or pay a UGX 1,000 fine. “This isn’t punishment—it’s ownership. We all benefit from these roads. Everyone must contribute,” Oryeda said.
Kumakech Addeh, a concerned resident, cautioned political aspirants against using road maintenance promises as campaign bait. He called on them to prioritize the Karagalya roads in their immediate plans.
“They come here making pledges that end in vain. Let them put this road in their action plans now, not after elections,” he said.
According to the district’s 2024 budget conference, chaired by District Engineer Mr. Niyonzima Emmanuel, Kyankende Sub County still falls under the administrative management of the mother sub-county – Kiryandongo.
Engineer Emmanuel revealed that UGX 1 billion was spent on 66.5km of road maintenance in the 2023/24 financial year, including stretches like Bweyale–Diika (8km), Kiryandongo–Nyakarongo (16km), and Kigumba–Mpumwe (12km). Another major route, Kisekura–Kikube–Nyabiiso, remains under repair.
He said funding sources included the Uganda Road Fund (URF), National Oil Seed Project (NOSP), and Uganda Climate Smart Agriculture Transformation Project (UCSATP). Of the district’s total 1,202km road network, 137km are national roads, 420km are district roads, 192km are urban roads, and 453km fall under sub-counties.
However, only 60% of these are currently motorable. Residents now demand that their leaders prioritize rural infrastructure support outside the typical election season. “We need action, not slogans,” one resident emphasized.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
