Balaam Seeks Accountability as Mukono Officials Dispute Bridge Collapse

Residents of Nsambwe and neighboring villages remain stranded after a bridge collapse.

Residents of Nsambwe in Mukono Municipality and the neighbouring villages of Ttakajjunge (also referred to as Takajunge) and Kikubakima in Nama Sub-county, Mukono District, remain stranded nearly three weeks after the bridge linking their communities collapsed.

The crisis has been compounded by a bitter dispute between Mukono District and Nama Sub-county authorities over who bears responsibility for the road and the structure.

The collapse has severely disrupted transport, education, health services and local businesses. With no alternative route available, residents have resorted to makeshift structures to cross the river. Students and boda-boda riders now risk their lives daily using these temporary crossings.

 One rider, Sudayisi Serunjogi, described the danger bluntly: “Our motorcycles are falling into the water.”

Ssalongo Waswa Kizito, a resident, said a foreigner known as “Papa,” who runs Noah’s Ark children’s home, had maintained the road for the past decade. He claimed technical officials from Mukono District later imposed conditions and demanded money before allowing further work. 

When Papa later brought a tractor to resume repairs, he was stopped and taken away without residents being informed. Waswa also alleged that individuals riding motorcycles with red number plates have been threatening anyone attempting to work on the road.

Residents and students who use the route recounted how Papa had kept it passable until district intervention halted the work. They are now appealing to well-wishers for urgent help, saying their lives remain in danger.

Serunjogi further accused the Deputy Speaker of Mukono District, Mulamira Gashegu, of ignoring their plight and warning residents against speaking out, while both the district and sub-county continue to deny responsibility.

At a recent Nama Sub-county council meeting, Councillor Solomon Yiga and Mary Mbigidde rejected claims that the sub-county is responsible for the road. They insisted Mukono District had always maintained it and that Papa had been working with district authorities. 

The leaders said they are ready to partner with residents and well-wishers on temporary repairs while the rightful authority is identified. Yiga separately noted that when residents approached district authorities after the collapse, they were told responsibility had shifted to the sub-county. 

He said the sub-county lacks the resources for major rehabilitation works and is appealing to well-wishers and factories operating in the area to contribute towards restoration.

In a phone interview, Deputy Speaker Mulamira Gashegu, who is also the district councillor for Nama, said the matter has been referred to the District Chairperson. 

He stated that the district is seeking 15 million shillings to complete the work and has already negotiated with Papa so that he can resume repairs with assistance from residents.

The prolonged failure has drawn the attention of Minister of State for Local Government Balaam Barugahare Atenyi (also referred to as Balaam Barugahara). Last week he used his X account to call for an investigation into the collapsed bridge. In a subsequent post he said he had taken note of concerns about the structure, which some accounts indicate has been impassable for about two and a half years at the Nakyetinda crossing in Takajunge. 

“I will investigate the matter and establish what has happened to the funds, if any, were allocated for this bridge, and why it has remained impassable for about 2½ years,” Balaam said. He added that if an investigation establishes that funds were released, he would pursue the money and seek accountability from those responsible. Where no funding was available, he said he would engage the relevant authorities to ensure the bridge is repaired.

Balaam also said he intended to visit the area and challenged the responsible authorities to act before his arrival. “Let the bridge be repaired before my visit if the responsible authorities can act urgently. Our people should not suffer because of negligence or mismanagement. Accountability must deliver results,” he said

Efforts to obtain comment from senior Mukono District officials, including the Chief Administrative Officer, were unsuccessful after several unanswered calls. Engineer Herbert Lutwama could also not be reached. 

District Spokesperson Derrick Kaddu Mbojjana said authorities were still trying to locate the engineer for an official response. The district’s position on the reported transfer of responsibility to the sub-county therefore remained unclear by press time.

The controversy goes beyond the immediate condition of the bridge. It highlights gaps in the management of local infrastructure and raises questions about the accountability chain for community facilities. 

While local governments have different mandates for roads and bridges depending on classification and jurisdiction, residents need clarity on which authority is responsible and where to seek redress when critical infrastructure fails. 

A collapsed bridge affects the movement of agricultural produce, access to markets, schools and health facilities, while also increasing the cost and time of transport.

As the standoff continues, residents remain cut off and increasingly desperate for a lasting solution. Attention will now turn to Mukono District and Nama Sub-county authorities to clarify the bridge’s ownership and maintenance mandate, account for any funds previously allocated, and provide a concrete plan for restoring the crossing.

 For the affected communities, the immediate concern is not which level of local government wins the responsibility argument. It is when the bridge will be restored and normal movement resumed.