Kikuube locals plant bananas in roads to protest their sorry state
Residents of Bugambe Sub-county in Kikuube District have staged a protest by planting banana suckers in the middle of their roads to express dissatisfaction with the worsening road conditions and what they describe as the silence of local leaders.
The residents claim that the deplorable roads have resulted in loss of lives, particularly for expectant mothers who struggle to reach health facilities, while businesses in the area have been paralyzed.
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The affected roads include Luguse to Kisambu village and Kiyora to Luguse. Despite numerous complaints and calls for action, the residents say that local authorities, including District Chairman Peter Banura, have failed to address the situation.
Geoffrey Ayesiga, a resident of Bujugu West, expressed frustration, saying the poor road conditions have made life difficult for students and business owners alike.
“We have raised alarms and even invited leaders to witness the situation. They visited a month ago and promised to fix the roads, but nothing has been done. That’s why we have resorted to planting banana suckers as a form of protest,” Ayesiga explained.
Agatha Tibasimba, a resident of Cunga Jembe, highlighted the dangers posed by the roads, particularly to expectant mothers.
"The government tells us to deliver in health facilities, but how can we get there when the roads are this bad? Sometimes it feels safer to go to traditional birth attendants nearby. After it rains, the roads are just hell on earth," Tibasimba lamented.
Annet Asera, the Bugambe district councilor, urged residents to remain patient, explaining that the roads had been included in the district's budget.
"We use these roads too. After hearing your complaints, we pushed for the road to be considered in the budget. However, funds are released in quarters, and the money to fix these roads hasn't been allocated yet," Asera stated.
Kikuube District Chairman Christopher Nkalu acknowledged the residents' grievances, attributing the delays to limited funding.
"It's not just Bugambe. Tomorrow, it will be Buhimba or Kiziranfumbi. Many sub-counties have bad roads, not because we don't want to fix them, but due to funding constraints. We recently received a road unit and will lobby for more fuel to begin addressing the issue," Nkalu explained.