Life gradually returns to normal after the Ntungwa -Ishasha Bridge at the Rukungiri- Kanungu district borderline was re-opened by the Kanungu RDC for traffic Canon Benon Bwagi Ruronga. A heavy truck loaded with cement enroute to DR Congo had earlier collapsed the weak bridge bringing the entire channel down into the river. The broken bridge had rendered the road impassable for about two months bringing activities on this busy route to an abrupt halt. Traffic had been diverted to a much further and hard to reach Kihihi- Nyamirama road via the Kigezi wildlife reserve to Katunguru which was a huge burden for tourists travel.
Ntungwa Bridge is located in Queen Elizabeth National Park’s Ishasha sector and is a major link for tourists going for game drives in the beautiful savannah grass lands of the sector famed for the climbing lions and elusive leopards. It is the only sector with topes but also endowed with many herds of Elephants, Buffaloes and Hippo pools. Ishasha- Kihihi road is the shortest route connection to Bwindi Impenetrable National park for the tourists destined to track the gorillas from Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The newly constructed bridge comes as a great relief for UWA visitors/tourists and the people of Kanungu who daily endure a torrid journey through Rukingiri back Kihihi before again making it to Ishasha.
The newly constructed bridge comes as a great relief for UWA visitors and the people of Kanungu who daily endure a torrid journey through Rukingiri back Kihihi before again making it to Ishasha.Uganda National Roads Authority spokesperson, Mr Dan Alinange, confirming and identifying the major bridges under reconstruction as Ntungwe Bridge on the Katunguru-Ishasha Road, and Mitano Bridge on the Rukungiri-Kanungu road.
The RDC in his opening remarks thanked Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and Dott services sub contracted to do the repairs for the work well done. He also thanked the Congolese nationals for helping in the casual construction work at site. He was flanked by the Kanungu LC3 chairperson, UNRA Engineers from Kabale and the locals from the nearby villages who had been hit hardest due to the breakdown of transportation.
A weigh bridge has been put at the Katunguru junction near the park headquarters of Queen Elizabeth national park to minimize the risk of heavily loaded trucks plying the route from breaking the bridges again. This bridge can now accommodate vehicles with a maximum of 60 tones. Ishasha Bridge is only 20km away from the Uganda custom before crossing to DR Congo.