Hoima District Demands More Road Machines

Hoima district council has petitioned central government demanding more road equipment, as the district fails to maintain roads.

 

The petition was tabled before council by the secretary for works Fredrick Kakoraki on Tuesday afternoon. This comes less than a year after the district received a grader, a tipper lorry, a pickup double cabin and two motorcycles for road works.

 

In the petition although he lauds government for the road machines, Kakoraki argues that they are not enough to make any impact on ground. He asks government through Ministry of Works to send in addition of a wheel loader, a traxcavator, a compactor, a water bouser, a bulldozer and an excavator.

 

The petitioner says with the additional machines in place, this will make a full road unit to enable the local government realize more results in its works sector.

 

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Hoima district has a road network of about 700 kilometres which are now busier than before as a result of the oil discovery and the influx of people. Kakoraki says this has not only put pressure on roads but has also necessitated opening up new roads. He says only a single grader cannot suffice.

 

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To supplement the grader, the district has had to borrow from the Uganda National roads Authority (UNRA). But this has also become impossible according to Kakoraki because of UNRA’s tight schedule.

 

The motion was unanimously approved by council. Kakoraki says the district will work with Bunyoro Affairs Minister, Earnest Kiiza to deliver the petition to works ministry and make routine follow ups.

 

Peter Zuwa, the chairman Hoima district works committee, says of the six roads planned for rehabilitation, only two have been worked on yet the financial year is ending. Zuwa says this is because work has sometimes been delayed by routine borrowing of equipment.

 

Residents have always complained over the poor state of roads in the district. Two weeks ago residents of Kabwoya and Kyangwali demonstrated over the poor state of Kyarushesha-Nyairongo road. They planted crops and banana suckers in the road in protest.