During a rally at Muramba primary school playground in Muramba sub-county, Bernard Dyankunde, Burungu village LCI Chairman, raised a concern about poor roads in the district saying that they are hindering effective transport.
President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday grilled Swaib Balaba,
Kisoro district Chief Administrative Officer over the sorry state of roads in the district. Museveni was in Kisoro to campaign for Rose
Kabagyeni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer for Kisoro District Woman Member of Parliament seat.
During a rally at Muramba
primary school playground in Muramba sub-county, Bernard Dyankunde, Burungu
village LCI Chairman, raised a concern about
poor roads in the district saying that they are hindering effective
transport.
Dyankunde also raised concern over Museveini’s unfulfilled
pledge to tarmac tourism roads in the Kigezi region. Dyankunde also stressed
the crisis of safe water and the lack of a SEED Secondary School in the sub-county.
//Cue in: “president wacu turagusaba…
Cue out: …ibyo wabitufashamu.”//
Dyankunde was backed by Dr.Chris Baryomunsi, the party’s vice
chairperson in charge of the Western region who is also the Minister of Information and
National Guidance.
//Cue in: “konka heine ebintu…
Cue out:….ngu tubakorere”//.
But in his response, Museveni wondered why the district roads
are not rehabilitated despite the district having road equipment. He tasked
Balaba to explain to the poor state of the road and why the district is unable to crush the stones that are visible in the
roads and turn them into marrum to make the roads motorable.
Cue in // “eki nkwenda kubahabura ni…
Cue out: …ziri ezeitaka.”//
Balaba says the district is putting all means
of rehabilitating roads. He cited Kisoro Muramba road which is set to be worked
on in this financial year. Balaba says that despite the district having a
wheel loader, grader water bowser and two trucks, the distance
where marrum is located is very far making the district unable to get it.
But Museveni insisted and grilled him on why they could not crush the available
volcanic stones and improvise as marrum.
Balaba explained that the district has no equipment to use
like a bulldozer and chain excavator for crushing stones.
Museveni accused him
of sleeping on the job wondering why he could not get the needed equipment from
the Ministry of Works and Transport.
//Cue in: “nimugyirra ngu ebyooma…
Cue out: …tahi yasimuka.”//
Museveni also defended the delay on tarmacking tourism roads in
Kigezi saying that the government was still tarmacking major roads like
Kampala-Kabale-Katuna, Kabale-Kisoro Bunagana and Chanika and
Rukungiri-Kanungu-Ishasha.
Rose Kabagyeni was declared the flag bearer by the NRM electoral
commission, Tang Odoi after garnering 39941 votes. Kabegyeni’s closest
contender Grace Ngabirano Akifeza got 39197 votes. Irene Mahirwe got 1729,
Brenda Fancy Nirere 1593, Faith Winfred Igiraneza 510, Jemimah Irankunda 363,
Blessed Kitentera 248, while Hellen Mbonye trailed with 111 votes.
However, Akifeza disputed the results and contested as an independent candidate
citing huge vote rigging in favor of Kabagyeni.
The by-election, slated for November 14, follows the death of
former MP and State Minister for Defense and Veteran Affairs, Sarah Mateke
Nyirabashitsi, on September 7, 2024.
