By Emmah Bwayo
NAMISINDWA
Nakhaya Bridge in Buwatuwa Sub County, Namisindwa district that connects the district to Manafwa is near collapse.
Buwatuwa Sub County, a small town in the southern part of the country, is facing a major problem with the deteriorating condition of the Nakhaya bridge along Buwabwala-Nasongwe Road.
The bridge which connects Manafwa town council to Buwatuwa and Bukhabusi Sub Counties has been in a state of disrepair for now two years, and local leaders are growing increasingly concerned about the safety of the people who use it.
The Nakhaya Bridge was built over a decade ago and was designed to withstand heavy traffic and the weight of large vehicles.
According to Walimbwa Wilson, the Buwatuwa Sub county councilor LCV, due to lack of maintenance and repair work, the bridge has started to show signs of wear and tear. He explains that the concrete pillars that support the bridge have developed cracks, and the metal beams that hold the bridge together have rusted.
Walimbwa says the bridge needs urgent attention to aid movement of people between Manafwa and Namisindwa districts.
Mwelu Abneli, the Buwabwala Parish Councilor in Buwatuwa Sub County says as local leaders, they have been raising concerns about the bridge’s condition for a long time now, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
He explains that the district authorities have not taken any action to repair or replace the bridge, and this has left the people of Buwatuwa in a precarious situation.
He revealed that many people use the bridge everyday to commute to work, school, and other places, a deteriorating condition of the bridge has not only put their lives at risk but has also affected their daily lives.
Bwayo Emma, the Namisindwa district Male Youth Councilor, applauded the local leaders for raising awareness, he says it is now up to the authorities to listen to their pleas and to take immediate action to repair or replace the bridge before it’s too late.
Walyaula Davis, the chairperson of works and technical services committee for Namisindwa district council says they have just fixed the Wabwala-Nasongwe Road. He adds that there is apparently no money to fix bridges in the district.
