Zombo is amongst the many Districts across the country receiving heavy downpours. The pounding and driving rain is continuing to have a devastating impact on Infrastructure like roads and footbridges.
The Central, District and community access roads across the District are easily filled with potholes making it impassable. On the other side, the pounding rain with devastating hailstorms has been deroofing houses, and schools and destroying crops in gardens.
The worst experience is witnessed on the 119 km Nebbi-Vura Road, Which has been a talking point for decades. This road plays a pivotal role for everyone and it’s the longest UNRA road in the area since it cuts through Nebbi Municipality- Nebbi District- Zombo and Arua.
The road has become a nightmare for not only businessmen but some bigwigs in the Zombo District local government.
In the morning of November 27, The early morning pounding rain complicated the movement of vehicles for most Zombo District Local Government staff.
Dr Mark Bramali, The Zombo District Health Officer bore the real brunt of the impassable road at a dangerous spot in Mathawele village, Oyeyu Parish Nyapea Sub-county on November 27 when his vehicle got stuck in the mud. He had to fork over some unspecified amount of cash for the youths to push him out of the slippery and muddy road.
That spot is so muddy, slippery and impassable yet there is no alternative route to get through. Luckily enough, some young energetic youths always camp there to push the stuck vehicle to realize some small cash.
One of the youths Wathum Ongire told the Whisper Eye News “We camp here especially when it rains and get some cash from the District officials because they can’t get through alone when it rains”.
Others shout in choruses “This spot has become our source of livelihood, we can’t leave it ”
Many staff from Zombo District local government stay more than 20 kilometres away from the District Headquarters. This Publication understands that the staff are in a state of anxiety because when it rains they need to get passed a muddy and impassable Nyagak Road to get to Zombo District Headquarters for work daily.
To many, The experience is not worth telling. Ambulances carrying patients to or from Nyapea Hospital bear the same brunt. This means the lives of patients are always at risk as they are forced to wait longer for the wet, muddy and ever-slippery road to dry.
Francis Bolingo, The District councillor of Athuma sub-county accused Members of Parliament from Zombo District of being “Parliamentary attendants”. He said they don’t think and talk about issues affecting the community.
” We don’t have MPs who can talk about issues affecting us, we only have Parliamentary attendants who go to listen to those stories in Parliament, They can’t talk about issues affecting us,” Bolingo told the Whisper Eye News.
Some concerned Councillors are saying the impassable nature of the UNRA roads is immensely affecting service delivery as some District officials declined to go to work.
On October 25, A group of youth activists in Zombo never read on the same page with a section of politicians and Security operatives as they staged a peaceful demonstration about the sorry state of roads in the area. Though not given a nod, The youths engaged In a cat-and-mouse chase with security operatives who were given orders not to allow the activists to step an inch to hold their demonstration. The youths passed a strong message to the government about the sorry state of roads in Zombo that directly falls under the Jurisdiction of UNRA.
What locals are doing?Some concerned local leaders and the community in Zombo have kick-started filling numerous potholes on UNRA Roads in the District.
Grace Aromborach, The LC1 Chairperson of Atyenda Corner Village next to Ateyenda Health Center 2 in Olyeko Parish mobilized the community under the supervision of Francis Bolingo, The District councillor of Athuma Sub-county to fix a dangerous spot in the area. She said the spot has been frequently causing accidents.
” We don’t have any other option but we are filling this pothole. People are falling here every day and no one cares about this road, we mobilized this community and we are fixing it ” Aromborach told the Whisper Eye News.
From Zombo Town Council, A group of youth mobilized by one of the elders there also embarked on filling potholes on the UNRA road claiming the condition has worsened and there has been no response for nearly 3 years.
The Local leaders and community are taking matters into their own hands after waiting for long according to the District councillor of Athuma sub county Francis Bolingo, who revealed that they plan to fix all potholes on dangerous spots across Zombo District on behalf of UNRA.
“We are going to fill all the potholes on dangerous spots, we are tired of lies all the time” Bolingo who sits on the committee of social services at the District said in an interview.
Dangerous spots
Nyagak Hill in Thanga Parish Abanga Sub-county, Nyagak Hill at Mathawele village Oyeyu Parish Nyapea Sub-county, Jupathombu at Wacacunga cell Oturgang ward Paidha Town Council, Kaya trading centre in Dwonga Ward Paidha Town Council.
Over the weekend, The leadership of Zombo District Boda Boda association organized prayers for the loved ones most of whom they have lost to accidents over the years. The Chairperson of Zombo Boda Boda Association Fred Onenarach said most of the accidents were attributed to the sorry condition of the roads in the area.
During the recent coronation anniversary of the Alur King at Parombo Town Council in Nebbi District, The King of Alur Ubimu Philip Rauni Ularker III in his speech Reminded President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni over his unfulfilled repeated promises of tarmacking Nebbi-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr- Vura road that its condition has been unbearable for ages.
But the state minister of northern Uganda Grace Freedom Kwiocwiny who that day represented the president promised to forward the concern to the President. She also urged the people of greater to speak with one voice about the issue of the road.
Greater Nebbi is where the NRM government has had a stronger footing for ages. The government has been giving out the promise of fixing the road since 1996 and to date, the Greater Nebbi community are still waiting to witness when work on the road will commence.
Asked about the NRM Party’s repeated promises of fixing the Nebbi-Paidha Zeu-Warr-Vura road On the 28 of October, The NRM Party Secretary General Richard Todwong said ” The road is in the Manifesto “. He said government projects move in phases and assured Greater Nebbi that the road will be tarmacked.
