KASESE— The Ministry of Works and Transport in partnership with an International NGO, Bridges to Prosperity, are building safe and efficient suspended bridges over impassable rivers am the rural communities.
Under this project 8 such bridges have been constructed in the country; of these, seven are located in the Elgon region. The communities of Kitholu and Karambi Sub Counties with great gratitude received Kyabayanze foot bridge crossing over Lhubiriha River.
During the handover ceremony held at Kituro Secondary School, the Karambi Village Sub-County Chief noted that 11 lives had been lost at the crossing point since May when floods washed away the main bridge.
The suspended foot cable bridge project designs locally appropriate bridges that provide safe and cost effective access to healthcare, education and markets to the communities.
The LC2 Chairperson Kisolholho Parish, Uziah Syahungene said that the bridge was very timely and well situated at the main path linking both sub Counties to markets, healthcare and numerous social services.
kituro Secondary School which is located at the bank of River Lhubiriha was cut off from the community owing to the lack of a bridge.
The School’s deputy headmaster, Mayan Gerald, said that the school is the greatest beneficiary of the bridge with more than a half of it’s students coming from across.
“The school had attempted to build a makeshift foot bridge which unfortunately was very dangerous. Whenever the river would flood school children wouldn’t be able to attend classes thus discouraging many learner’s,” he added.
Construction of Kyabayanze Bridge commenced in July, 2020 and was completed in September. The bridge is the first in the region and the longest in the country at 63metres long at a total cost of UGX. 117million.
Eng Andre Zirimenya, a Senior Engineer with the Ministry of Work and Transport explained that the project is still carrying out needs assessment in the region to ensure proper allocation and distribution of bridges.
He also added that the Ministry is committed to restoring a vehicular bridge that was destroyed by the floods in May this year.
The government entered into a partnership with Bridges to Prosperity in 2017 to design and construct cable foot bridges in hilly and flood prone rural areas. Under the partnership, the government and Bridges to Prosperity split the costs of constructing the bridges 50/50.
