POLITICIAN ASKS FOR SPLIT OF NTUNGAMO DISTRICT

By Van Deguras

NTUNGAMO: Rushenyi County Member of Parliament, Ms. Naome Kabasharira, has asked for Ntungamo district to be split into three districts if the government can’t fund road rehabilitation as it does in other smaller districts.

Speaking on the sidelines of a community service where she sponsored the construction of a local bridge linking her constituency to Rukungiri district on Tuesday, the vice chairperson of the presidential affairs committee in parliament said with government funding districts based on political boundaries, Ntungamo is not getting the share it should, especially in roads, which is a disaster.

She said Ntungamo has over 2,000 kilometers of road network, with districts with less than 100 kilometers getting the same amount of money to work on their roads from the road fund. The district received 10 million shillings for the first quarter to work on the 2730 km of roads this year, which Ms. Kabasharira says is nothing.

The bridge connects Kyafoora parish with the Ruboroga River. Residents had been using logs as temporary bridges.

Rugarama North Chairperson Ivan Rwanyakibare noted that the road is very important, especially in the transportation of produce and linking schools, with many of the children in the area studying in Rukungiri district.

The village chairman of Kitunda village, where the culvert bridge was constructed, said that with many people not affording school fees for their children, having a road is key as they can access markets and at least have some money to provide for their families.

Residents said they were happy to have their leaders engaged in community work since this is the only available remedy for the deteriorating road network.

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