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.
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.
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.
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.
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 tomorrow, follows the death of former MP and State Minister for Defense and Veteran Affairs, Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, on September 7, 2024.
English 