Poor funding is hindering the completion of road rehabilitation in Kabarole district.
The central government allocates Kabarole district meager resources for routine and periodic maintenance of the feeder roads. In 2009/2010 financial year, the district was allocated 900 million shillings to rehabilitate some of the feeder roads.
The roads are Kiburara-Harugongo-Kichwamba road, Kasusu-Mbagane road, Buheesi-Mitandi, Nyakasura-Bukuku, Kisomoro-Bunaiga and Rwimi-Gatyanga.
But the roads have not been worked on because of limited resources.
In this financial year, only 950 million shillings was allocated for the maintenance of eleven feeder roads in the sub counties of Kichwamba, Kisomoro, Kibitto, Rwimi, Buheesi, Bukuku and Rutete.
Moses Byarugaba, the Chairperson of the Works Committee, says some of the feeder roads will not be rehabilitated this financial year citing the low funding.
Byaruhanga says that the funds allocated for road maintenances are also used for purchasing fuel for road equipments and for supervision of the road works.
He also says that some of the roads are poorly done because of the limited resources and they get damaged in a short time.
Moses Ikagobya, the Secretary for Finance says that the district has no alternative but use the available resources.
Ikagobya also says that district seeks assistance from NGOs in the district and also lobbies for more funds from the central government to complete the rehabilitations.
//Cue in: "compared to the status."//
Cue out: "...until next financial year."//
Regina Kabahenda, a resident of Harugongo parish says that it is difficult for the residents to access the health centre in the area during the rainy season because the roads are due to impassable roads.
Kabahenda says that some of the roads in the area have been damaged by heavy trucks which carry Pozzolana, a product used in manufacturing cement.
David Mugume, the Chairman of Kabarole Farmers Association says that the association is planning to rehabilitate some roads in the areas where farmers can not access markets to sell their products.
