Road users in Arua have raised concern over the state of Osu Bridge saying that its poor condition continues to pose a high risk to them.
Osu Bridge was constructed in 2006 Financial Year under Local Government Development Project (LGDP II) by the then Arua Municipality but has continued to develop cracks with some parts collapsing over the years.The bridge becomes particularly impassable during heavy rains, limiting resident from accessing some essential services.
Draleru Scovia, a resident of Oluodri Cell expressed disappointment over delayed reconstruction of the bridge and improvement of the road. She reported that several accidents and deaths have ever happened at the bridge a along the road.
Seven people have reportedly died in accidents involving road users on the bridge. These include a pupil who drowned during rainy season while going to school and a businessman.
Pangisa Ward female councillor, Summaya Jaffar, said that poor condition of the infrastructure has greatly affected community members.
Summaya noted that traders face challenges when transporting their goods across the bridge especially during rainy season. She said boda boda riders sometimes charge higher fares than usual whenever it rains.
Arua Central Division Member of Parliament, Muzaid Khemis recently raised concerns about state of the bridge in parliament
Muzaid told Uganda Radio Network (URN) in an interview that Parliament had notified Ministry of Works and Transport to conduct an assessment and develop plans to improve condition of the bridge.
Meanwhile, Arua City Council, through the five-year Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development – Additional Financing (UCMID-AF) programme, has planned to construct ten roads, including Wadriff Road on which Osu Bridge is located, at a cost of 7.7 billion shillings.
The project is part of a total investment of 96.70 billion shillings for construction of the ten roads under UCMID-AF between Financial Years 2026/27 and 2030/31 aimed at strengthening urban planning and management in the city.
Arua City Mayor, Lawrence Alionzi, said that the initiative would improve access to climate smart infrastructure, essential services and economic opportunities through the development of city’s road network.
Osu Bridge connects Ayivu East Division to Arua Central Division, linking traders to markets, learners to schools across the bridge and community members to health facilities, including Arua Regional Referral Hospital and Oli Health Centre IV among others-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
