POLICE CAUTIONS PUBLIC ON ABUSE OF TRAFFIC RULES AS KARUMA BRIDGE CLOSES

Road Sign Indicating closure of Karuma Bridge. 

By Ambrose Okai

Lira

Following the closure of the Karuma Bridge to all traffic that started on Monday, September 23, 2024, Police in North Kyoga are cautioning road users from disobeying traffic rules.

The North Kyoga Regional spokesperson, Patrick Jimmy Okema in his Monday press briefing said people should be able to use the alternative routes well and avoid overloading in the ferries.

‘’Therefore, people should be able to follow the diversion that was clearly declared by the minister for purposes of easy movement. We have ferries and the highway, those are the alternative routes. Following a directive that we also got from police headquarters that those ferries are not supposed to be overloaded. So our team of traffic officers are on grown to assess and make sure the team on ground are working within the way that the ferries should carry, ’’Okema said.

UNRA and the Ministry of Works and Transport recently advised motorists traveling from Kampala to Gulu and West Nile to divert via the Luwero—Kafu—Masindi—Paraa (Murchison Falls National Park) route, connecting to Pakwach or Gulu via Olwiyo.

Those heading to Lira directed to use either the Rwenkunye—Apac route via Masindi Port Ferry or the Iganga—Nakalama—Tirinyi—Pallisa—Kumi—Soroti—Lira route.
Bernard Anyeko Massanga, the Spokesperson for Uganda Northern drivers and transport network association, calls upon transporters to protect the lives of people they are carrying.

‘’The message to transporters, especially drivers, is that accidents are real and it kills. So, as we are going to follow these alternative routes, Let us use a minimum speed which can protect people which we are carrying. And let us also respect traffic rules and regulation of Uganda. It will allow us to transport people from the Northern Region to the Capital City within these three months are maintains rightfully,’’ Anyeko said.

Meanwhile, Anyeko said transport fare from Lira to Kampala using all alternative routes is 40000/= and that the only slight increase is for short distances such as Lira-Karuma that has seen some increase going for 30000 now.

But Denis Okwir, the manager of Acanadiro, Gateway and Real Bus companies said he preferred using Eastern routes other than fries after witnessing delays caused by congestion while using the ferry. ‘’Rwekunye is a challenge, because of so much congestion there, and that's a challenge. I don't want that to embarrass my customers,’’Okwir explained.

The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala on X said ’’The closure and diversions will likely cause some inconvenience, but authorities assured the public that these measures are necessary to facilitate the bridge's full restoration’’