Kampala, Uganda I URN | The Ministry of Works and Transport says the reconstructed Katonga bridge along the Kampala-Masaka highway is expected to last 120 years, following its commissioning three years after the previous structure collapsed.
The old bridge was washed away by flash floods in May 2023 following heavy torrential rains which lead to disruptions of transport, trade and commerce along the busy highway.
On Saturday, the Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama commissioned the reconstructed bridge for public full use after the project was handed over by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC Limited), the contractor that undertook the project works.
Byamukama indicated that the reconstruction has permanently restored the critical transport link, providing a long-term solution to disruptions caused by the collapse of the previous structure.
The new steel bridge replaces a temporary crossing that had been installed to maintain traffic flow along the highway following the 2023 disaster. The temporary structure had been designed to accommodate loads of up to 60 tonnes.
According to Byamukama, the reconstructed project cost 191 billion Shillings and included works on road sections between Lwera and Kalandazi.
He noted that the restored bridge is going to strengthen the movement of passengers and cargo along the Kampala-Masaka highway, a key transport corridor connecting Kampala to southwestern Uganda and neighbouring countries.
”The new structure stands three metres higher than the old bridge, enhancing its resilience to any possible flooding,” he said.
He however urged motorists to exercise extra caution while using the highway to prevent fatalities.
Ahmed Nyombi Mukiibi, the Kalungu District Chairperson, also challenged the Ministry of Works and Transport to reconstruct the road crossing linking Kalungu and Gomba districts, which was also destroyed by floods in 2023.
Nyombi says the semi-permanent bridge at Bugomola was washed away during the same flooding, but the government is yet to rebuild it, disrupting the movement of people and goods between the two districts.
He says residents are currently relying on canoes to cross the Katonga River, exposing themselves to safety risks.
“This is also part of the Katonga River, but the crossing has remained unrepaired, disrupting the movement of goods and services between the two districts. People are currently using canoes to cross from one side to the other, which puts their lives at risk,” Nyombi says.
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