Residents of Mbuga Parish in Nyakinama Sub-county, Kisoro District, are protesting against district leaders for allegedly blocking a local investor’s initiative to renovate the approximately 10-kilometer Mbuga–Chihe–Nyakinama road, a move residents say has severely affected service delivery in the area.
The road, which connects the villages of Buhayo, Taba, Bugwene, Gase, and Buzigambogo in Mbuga Parish, is in a deplorable condition. It becomes particularly muddy during the rainy season, riddled with potholes and gullies, making transportation extremely difficult.
Residents say they had negotiated with a local investor, Muneza Boniface, to renovate the road to improve service delivery. In return, they agreed to provide him with a free access route to his campsite. However, when they informed the Kisoro District leadership about the arrangement, the process was abruptly halted.
District authorities argued that the investor was not aligned with government programs and insisted that the district itself had plans to renovate the road.
Frustrated residents criticized the district’s decision, pointing out that poor service delivery, high transport costs, and limited market access for their agricultural products continue to worsen due to the bad road network.
CUE IN RESIDENTS……ON PROTEST…….RR//
Francis Ntaborundimu, the LC1 Chairperson of Taba Village, revealed that the community has often been forced to raise their own funds to carry out temporary road repairs, even though maintaining the road is the district’s responsibility.
He condemned the district authorities for neglecting the road and stopping the investor from implementing much-needed renovations.
CUE IN NTABORUNDIMU…..ON THE ROADS…….RR//
Similarly, Matsiko David, the LC2 Chairperson of Mbuga Parish, described the district’s actions as a major disappointment, accusing leaders of frustrating local development initiatives.
He urged the district authorities to collaborate with local leaders and support community-driven efforts to improve the road infrastructure.
CUE IN MATSIKO….ON THE ISSUE……RR//
