Residents of Buhoma Town Council, Kanungu District, have expressed concern over the state of Kanyantorogo-Buhoma-Bwindi tourism road. They said the 44-kilometre road, which leads to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is full of potholes, rendering it impassable, especially when it rains, thus frustrating the tourism sector and other economic activities.
On June 5, some residents staged protests claiming that the deteriorating road network is causing frequent accidents.
They cited the example of Harrison Shuldman, an American tourist, who died after the vehicle he was travelling in from Bwindi National Park lost control at Kakureiju in January 2025.
The residents also cited a recent incident where a truck transporting iron ore overturned at the same section and killed a driver, Philip Mukunya.
‘Every time we get a chance to meet our leaders both at local and national levels, we inform them about the sorry state of this road, but they have completely kept a deaf ear to this problem,” Mr Agaba Twinomujuni 36, a boda boda rider in Buhoma Town Council, said.
Ms Jacqueline Musimanta 34, a vendor dealing in matooke, said the road is in appalling condition, which affects the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.
‘Because of the appalling state of this road, food trucks are forced to load half their capacity so that they can manoeuvre through the rough road, and this results in a lot of money being lost because at times we are forced to load two trucks to transport food stuff that were supposed to be transported by one truck,” Ms Mbabazi said.
Buhoma Town Council Mayor Moses Bashaija said tourists visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which receives approximately 80 international visitors daily, have also decried the sorry state of the road.
‘Many tourists question why such an important tourism route remains in a dire condition despite the significant revenue generated through gorilla tracking permits,’ Mr Bashaija said.
He added:’Beyond tourism, the sorry state of this road disrupts trade, especially during the rainy season when heavy vehicles transporting goods from Kihihi Town Council struggle to access Buhoma and surrounding areas.”
The Kanungu District chairperson, Mr Francis Byamukama Kapesha, said he had informed the Works ministry about the sorry state of the road and expressed hope that the matter would be speedily resolved.
When contacted for a comment, the Kinkizi West area Member of Parliament, Mr James Ruugi Kaberuka, said he had repeatedly presented requests in Parliament for the rehabilitation of the Kanyantorogo-Buhoma-Bwindi tourism road, but in vain.
”This is a tourism road which needs to be regularly maintained, but I wonder why it is not, and for your information, I have tabled this road on the floor of Parliament over 10 times, and the government is aware of its state,’ Mr Kaberuka said.
He, however, promised that would keep on pushing the government to see that this road is worked on.
” I will visit the minister of Works and Transport and inform him about the sorry state of this road,” Mr Kaberuka said.
The district woman Member of Parliament, Ms Patience Kinshaba Nkunda, made similar promises to push the government to repair the road.