A Fuso truck has broken down at Nakichumet grazing area in Napak district blocking traffic and travelers along the Moroto-Soroti road. George Birihanyomyo, the in charge of traffic in Napak district says that over 40 cars are stuck along the road because of blockade. He says that unspecified number of travelers have now spent over the last 72 hours at the scene of the break down.
Birihanyomyo says a Moroto bound Fuso Truck registration number UAK 259A veered off the road and blocked off the road. He says three gate way buses, trailers and personal cars are among some of the vehicle stuck on the road. Birihanyomyo says that the vehicles from Moroto or Soroti cannot find their way since the surrounding areas are soaked in water. He says the spot at which the vehicles are stuck is about 55 kilometers from Moroto town.
He attributes the incident to the slippery surface of the road that has been submerged by large spills of water from Arecek dam. For the past 24 months there has been a steady increase in traffic to Karamoja because of the reduction in illegal firearms characterized with cattle rustling. Anna Logel, a business woman in Moroto town says government should do something about the roads.
She advises government to divert funds meant to tarmac Sironko-Moroto road to have first class murram on both roads. Hassan Sentamu, the Uganda National Roads Authority Station Engineers says the road is appalling. He says that attempts to repair the road have been bogged down by incessant rains that have hit Karamoja over the last one month.
John Baptist Looki, the Matheniko County Member of Parliament is optimistic that the roads will be repaired very soon. He explains to Uganda Radio Network that government has yielded to their pressure to have the roads repaired this financial year.
