The Uganda National Roads Authority has issued an alert to motorists intending to use the Kabale-Kisoro Road to avoid it and use alternative roads after mudslides left a part of the road caved in.

The Kabale-Kisoro Road connects Uganda to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through the Bunagana border and Rwanda through the Cyanika border. The Humurwa-Kanungu Road connects Uganda to DRC through the Ishasha border.

The drivers of many heavy vehicles heading to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda spent were stuck at the caved-in section of the Kabale-Kisoro Road for a number of hours and had to manoeuvre to turn back to use alternative roads. Only small cars could use the road, with careful guidance to the drivers. 

Traffic police officers stopped movement on the affected road for about three hours and later, the traffic officers cleared smaller vehicles to cross.

Over 50 cargo trucks heading to Rwanda and the DRC were affected. Buses belonging to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) carrying refugees from the Kisoro district were delayed but later used the damaged road.

The Kabale-Kisoro Road connects Uganda to the neighbouring DRC through the Bunagana border and Rwanda through the Chanika border. The heavy rains being experienced in the Kigezi sub-region have left many roads in the area damaged, rendering most of them impassable.

Hamurwa-Kanungu road connects Uganda to DR Congo through the Ishasha border. Victor Baryebuza, 52, a resident of Bwaara village said that the road at that spot last caved in 1982. He said a water source adjacent to the road could have flooded and affected the road.

Fred Turyamureeba, a resident of Shebeya village in Hamurwa Sub-county said that the Hamurwa floating bridge which connects Kabale to Rubanda and Kanungu districts has affected transport in the area. His calls urged the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to swiftly intervene.

The floods and mudslides mostly affected Hamurwa town council, Rubanda district where at least six people died in the floods.  The heavy rains caused the death of about 18 people in the Kigezi region districts of Rukiga, Rubanda and Kisoro between the 2nd and 03rd May 2023.

Job Namanya