By Mulengera Reporters
The Minister of Works and Transport needs Shillings 100billion to fix the infrastructure damaged by the recent floods in Mbale city, parliament heard on Wednesday.
The Works and Transport Minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala revealed this in his response to a query from Bughendera County MP, Moses Kiiza Acrobert regarding floods in Bundibugyo district.
Gen. Katumba told parliament that the ministry is greatly challenged by floods across the country. He explained that their assessment of the infrastructure affected in Mbale shows that the ministry needs Shillings 100billion to fix.
The Mbale city floods that claimed more than 25 people also destroyed several bridges and roads. Major rivers in Mbale such as Namatala, Nabuyonga, Nashibiso, and Napwoli burst their banks following heavy rains triggering the floods.
Some of the affected bridges include Namabale, Nagairrira, Namawane, Nashikasho, Ndohwe, Nambitsi, Namakole and Busamaga among others. The damaged roads included Mbale-Bufumbo road, Mbale-Nkokonjeru, Sakiya-Bukhatoko and Busaano- Bufoto among others.
Similar to Mbale, the Bughendera County MP, Moses Kiiza Acrobert, said floods washed away five bridges in Bundibugyo district last week. He said that this has affected the movement of goods and services in different sub-counties. He appealed to the concerned ministry to conduct an assessment in a bid to provide solutions.
Gen. Katumba said the ministry will dispatch a technical team to Bundibugyo district to assess the impact of the floods. Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among also revealed that floods cut off roads in Bukedea district-URN (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 0200900416 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).