Although they have neither engineering knowledge nor strong and appropriate construction materials, residents of Bukwo district have decided to risk drowning than being cut off from neighbours and embarked on constructing bridges on their own using locally available materials.
On Saturday, residents of the two sub-counties came together and started building Sosho bridge which connects Amanang and Chepkwasita subcounties after the district failed to work on the bridges despite having received 30million shillings from the government under road fund.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network, Moses Chelimo, one of the residents said the life they are living in, “..it’s like we don’t vote for the NRM party”.
He said the people have been drowning in the rivers whenever its rainy season.
“When it’s raining we can’t cross to either side because the bridges get flooded so we have to take our own initiative to build the bridge.
Joel Cherop another resident said eight people have survived drowning in the same spot adding that the district has never thought of repairing the bridge.
“What we have learnt is that the district officials keep on making requisitions for money working on the bridge but when the money comes they use it for their own private activities,” he said.
Josyline Chemutai, one of the anticorruption monitors in Bukwo district said corruption in Bukwo has made locals become more vulnerable.
“Other districts are doing well but when it comes to us in Bukwo we are at zero except for district civil servants,” she said.
According to Ms Chemutai even their elected members of parliament have not done enough to fight corruption in the district and have left the whole fight to the office of the RDC and district chairperson.
Bukwo RDC Samuel Hashaka Mpimbaza said it is a pity for the locals themselves to take up bridge construction yet the government had been sending money for bridge construction.
“Of all the districts that I have worked as RDC Bukwo is the most corrupt district,” he said.
Jimmy Lowor, the newly posted chief administrative officer of Bukwo said he is still new in the district but promised to visit all the government-funded projects.
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