Allan Sempewa, the UNRA spokesperson says that they have financial challenges causing delays. He appealed to residents stay calm as whoever was valued and assessed during the road project will soon get money.
The angry boda-boda riders who protested were from Busia and Namayingo districts. They accused leaders of Busia joint motorcycle boda-boda rider’s association- BJMBA of routinely extorting cash from them and making unnecessary arrests as well.
Remigiyo Wabwire, one of the residents in Bukalikha village affected by the road works, says that they were surprised to see the district councillor mobilizing them to protest the road works, which left them without any other option but to attack him for fighting the development of their area.
They cited several defects that includes; linking iron sheets at the upper floor, broken door shutters on some of the lockups, cracks on walls and poor drainage systems among others.
Justine Mugeni, the secretary of fish traders in Busia fish market says that the charges have affected force more than 300 fishermen out of business. He called for the intervention of the relevant authorities to help them stay in business.
Patrick Wandera, Rosemary Auma and Musana Bumali, all residents of Majanji sub-county, says the fish collection center is useless because it is no longer providing the expected services in the area.
Aisha Salama, a vendor of onions and tomatoes, says that she found her store open with all her market goods worth Shillings 680,000 missing. She says the raid is a big blow to her business, adding that she has nowhere to begin from.
The 17 Million Shillings Syonga-Hadadira- Musuyi 3 Kilometers road that connects from Syonga to Busia town through Tiira town council was abandoned in April 2020 before completion.
BAM Construction Company limited is undertaking the project works with funding from the European Union-EU through African Development Bank under the Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa-COMESA.
They started working on the road last month (April) by using hand hoes, pangas, slashers, among other tools to open drainage channels, use stones and soil to fix potholes and compact using the old culvert by rolling it on the soil that they pour on the road to compact it.
Wilson Musenero, a maize trader says that there's a scarcity of produce especially maize which has high demand in Kenya and many of them are looking at this as an opportunity to recover from the losses they incurred when Kenya announced a ban on Ugandan maize recently.
Kakonge noted that some traders who do cross boarder trade have developed a mentality to use main entrance to enter into Uganda side but after loading goods they instead exit through the porous points a practice which is illegal.
BUFA members accused Mayende for conniving with key signitories to withdraw the money in the cooperative's bank which is in Finance trust bank without the consent of the members.
Allan Ssempebwa, the UNRA Spokesperson says that valuation is being conducted by the road acquisition team. He says that the team will ensure that all residents who will be affected by the works will be compensated before the construction work starts.
William James Wandera, a resident of Banda Sub-county, says that the deceased’s set fire to burn stones in the gold pit and died due to loss of oxygen.
The price of one full box has been hiked from 200,000 shillings to 400,000 shillings, while a full basin of tomatoes is currently at 60,000 shillings from previous price which was 20,000 shillings.
