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Gatsibo: Residents express concern about the slippery wooden bridge
Uwajeneza Donatha
Feb 14, 2024 - 13:39
Residents of Gatsibo district who use Rugarama –Rwimbogo road have requested the authorities to rebuild the slippery woodenMuninibridge which is becoming a threat to the locals as young children and those who are weak always fall into the river due to the slippery woods on the bridge. District officials say that a plan is envisaged to reconstruct eight bridges, the Muninibridge among them. However, it will be built in the second phase as the district is still planning for the budget.
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Residents who use the Rugarama-Rwimbogo road in Gatsibo district say that the bridge they use to cross from one sector to another, located in Munini village in Kanyangese cell in Rugarama sector, has been damaged due to water current caused by heavy rains, especially that the bridge is in a swamp and there is a flowing river.
It is said that as soon as it got damaged a wooden bridge was built, but crossing it requires to be very careful, weak people cannot cross. Speaking to Isango Star, Mrs. NYIRABASARE Gaudencea 27-year-old woman said: “It was damaged by water current then they used woods as solution is what they have installed. Sometimes one comes crosses it with a lot of fear”.
Mrs. MUKAMUGEMA RIBERATA aged 30, a neighbor of Gaudance said: “There are those who fall in the river. When children go to school, we come and wait for them here so that they don’t fall in the river to avoid problems."
Sometimes even cars transporting goods would require strong men to help carry them because they cannot cross the bridge with such heavy materials.
“When we reach this bridge we cannot cross it, we give money to young strong men to carry the goods then we pay those two hundred francs, "Jean PAUL a 40-year-old driver said.
Residents say that the woods placed on the bridge are not strong enough and call on the authorities to rehabilitate it.
GAKWANDI John Bosco, a 30-year-old sailor said “The advocacy we need from you is to emphasize the need for the rehabilitation of this bridge, I earn a living from here because of helping people to cross.”
Mr. GASANA Richard, the mayor of Gatsibo District confirms that the problem of this bridge connecting Rugarama and Rwimbogo sectors is well known. He says that it is also among the eight bridges that will be rehabilitated for money to build them but currently, the available budget is for only four bridges for the first phase, however, the district is devising means to get funds to construct others.
“We got money for four bridges and that's what we're going to rehabilitate first, but this is not included. What we had done was to place on trees for people to be able to cross, no vehicles are allowed to cross the bridge, then maybe we will come and put signpost that it is a bridge for the people to pass through."
Currently, 18 bridges in Gatsibo district need to be built, and only eight of them are to be rehabilitated. At the same time. A plan for the budget to build the other 10 is also underway. However, it is expected that all of these will be completed in just two years.
Written by KAGEME Grace; Author:Djamali Habarurema/ Isango Star-Gatsibo.
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