Eng. January Silangi Mugaye, the Kanungu District Engineer, is reportedly in hiding for fear of arrest after Kankoko Bridge along the Kihembe–Butogota–Bwindi Road in Kihembe Sub-county collapsed barely three months after it was completed.
The bridge, located in Kanyashande Village, Nyabirehe Parish, Kihembe Sub-county, was constructed by the Kanungu District Works Department at a cost of UGX 40 million. However, a large section of the bridge gave way last week following heavy rainfall in the area.
Denis Tumukunde, the LCIII Chairperson of Kihembe Sub-county, said local leaders had welcomed the construction of the bridge, hoping it would provide a lasting solution to the long-standing challenge of crossing the Kankoko River.
Tumukunde said they were shocked when heavy rains caused a large section of the newly constructed bridge to collapse. He noted that the incident has once again disrupted transport in the area and warned that the remaining section of the bridge is also at risk of collapsing. He blamed the incident on what he described as shoddy workmanship.
Julius Tumugabirwe, the district councillor representing Kihembe Sub-county, said the collapse of the bridge is likely to negatively affect tourism, noting that many visitors use the Kihembe–Butogota–Bwindi Road while travelling to and from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Kanungu Deputy Resident District Commissioner Gaddie Rugaaju Ahimbisibwe confirmed that he visited the site and witnessed the collapsed section of the bridge. He attributed the incident to poor workmanship, alleging that the district engineer and the construction team used old and rusty culverts instead of new ones.
Rugaaju further alleged that the contractor used substandard Y6 and Y10 iron bars in the bridge’s retaining walls and mixed cement using an inadequate ratio, leaving the structure too weak to withstand heavy rains. He also questioned why the district engineer commenced the project without conducting an official groundbreaking ceremony involving local leaders to oversee the works.
CUE IN DRDC RUGAAJU…. ON THE BRIDGE…..ENG//
Rugaaju also alleged that when he visited the site after receiving reports of the collapse, the district engineer and other officials from the Works Department had reportedly fled. He said he has directed police to arrest Mugaye and other officials in the department for questioning over the alleged shoddy work and possible misuse of government funds.
He described the incident as unfortunate, saying the bridge collapsed before it had even been commissioned, and argued that the engineer had undermined a vital infrastructure project on a road frequently used by tourists travelling to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
CUE IN DRDC RUGAAJU…. ON SHOODY WORK…..ENG//
However, the District Communications Officer, Twongyeirwe Mwajuma Twaha Adams, dismissed reports that the district engineer is on the run. She explained that although floods destroyed the bridge’s headwall, traffic is still flowing normally. She added that the district engineer remains on duty and is working with the district’s technical team to assess the affected areas and determine the appropriate intervention.
Mwajuma also reported that the Matanda–Kihihi Bridge was swept away by heavy rains about four months ago. The bridge connects communities in Nyamirama, Matanda and Kihihi in Kanungu District with parts of Bwambara Sub-county in Rukungiri District.
The collapse has disrupted access to Kihihi Town Council, a major commercial centre, and Matanda Health Centre III. It has also affected school-going children, farmers transporting produce to markets and vulnerable populations living at Matanda Refugee Camp. In addition, the destruction of the bridge has increased the cost of transporting goods and services, placing a heavier burden on residents and businesses in the affected communities.
The bridge also served as an important transport link between Rukungiri and Kasese districts through the national park.
Gad Kabagambe, the LCIII Chairperson of Nyamirama Sub-county, said residents are now forced to use dangerous crossing points, putting their lives at risk. He appealed to the government to urgently restore the bridge to ease movement and improve access to essential services.
