Limited Road Sector Funding Angers Hoima Residents

As the new financial year begins Hoima residents want the district to focus on and fix the poor roads in the area.

Hoima district local government on Friday laid before Council its 2012/13 financial year budget totaling to 19 billion shillings.

Contrary to the local peoples’ wish, the district prioritized education sector which consumed 8 billion shillings, almost half of the total budget, with the health sector taking three billion shillings. The works sector under which roads fall was allocated only 1.2 billion shillings.

 

The budget draft is now for discussion by the various committees of council before its approval next month.

But residents say the budget estimates fall short on works and roads sector and want amendments made to it.

Amos Mugira, a businessman says with the poor road network in the district, the district should have prioritised the road sector. Mugira who moves to various markets selling merchandise says he always faces transport hurdles due to poor roads.

The businessman says travelers incur high transport costs besides delaying on the roads.

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Joshua Kasangaki, a farmer from Kibingo in Hoima municipality, says underfunding the works sector could affect farmers as they will continue to be cheated by buyers because of poor roads.

Kasangaki says although government is encouraging farming, poor roads hinder farmers from accessing markets. He suggests that amendments be made to the district budget draft to ensure that funding for the works and road sector is increased.

URN could not easily get a comment from the district speaker over the residents’ concerns but while laying the budget draft before the district council, Joab Kunihira, the secretary for finance explained that the limited funding for the works sector was in view of the road equipment given to districts recently. He said most of the roads in Hoima district will be worked on using the district equipment.

About 80 percent of the Hoima district road network is poor, characterized by potholes and mud especially during the rainy seasons. Residents have always had to demonstrate to compel the district to work on them.