Luuka, Uganda: Transport along the Iganga–Luuka–Kamuli road has been severely disrupted after Namadope Bridge in Luuka District collapsed following heavy rainfall, forcing motorists to take longer and costlier detours.
The bridge, located just a few kilometres from Iganga town, reportedly sank on Sunday, leaving several travelers stranded and public transport operators struggling to navigate alternate routes.
The breakdown has caused a sharp rise in transport fares, with some operators tripling prices due to increased fuel consumption and longer travel distances. “A journey from Iganga to Luuka that used to cost Shs5,000 now costs Shs15,000,” said Kizza Ali, a boda boda cyclist at Walugogo Stage in Iganga. “Passengers are complaining, but we’re also losing because the diversions consume more fuel.”
Commuters Count Losses, Businesses Affected
The sudden cut-off has also affected business activities between Luuka and Iganga, with traders lamenting increased transport costs and reduced customer access.
Vuuma Bakali, a businessman from Budoma–Butitiri, Basalamu Town Council, said the situation has crippled daily operations.
“I have businesses in Iganga town, and now reaching there is a nightmare. We need the government to expedite tarmacking of this road to prevent such disruptions,” he told DailyExpress.
Traffic has since been redirected to three major diversions:
- From Busalamu through Waibuga village, connecting to the Iganga–Jinja highway at Bulanga Town Council.
- From Namukubembe through Buwologoma to Kawete, linking to the Iganga–Kaliro road.
- From Namadope Trading Centre through Bukyoogo, connecting back to Iganga.
Luuka District Chairperson, Wakaze Simon, confirmed to DailyExpress that the district had already reported the matter to the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) for urgent attention. “We immediately informed UNRA about the bridge collapse, and they have promised to deploy engineers for emergency works,” he said.
Ministry of Works and Transport Speaks Out
In an official statement issued Sunday evening, the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) acknowledged the incident, confirming that the bridge section had collapsed at a culvert crossing in Namadope following heavy rains that weakened old infrastructure.
“A section of the Iganga–Bulopa road has collapsed at Namadope, cutting off traffic flow along the route,” the statement read. “The road was recently handed over to Arab Contractors for upgrading to bitumen standard, and the contractor has been alerted to urgently mobilize and undertake emergency restoration works.”
Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe, the Senior Communications Officer at the Ministry, said emergency repairs were underway to restore movement. “We have instructed Arab Contractors to urgently fix the section and reinstate connectivity,” Ssempebwa said. “Once the road is upgraded to tarmac, such incidents will no longer occur.”
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