Wakiso District Deputy Resident District Commissioner Sheikh Kassim Kamugisha Joins hands with Residents of Bugongi Ward in Repairing a Community Bridge in Kabale Municipality.

After the residents of Kinyungusi Cell in Upper Bugongi Northern Division in Kabale Municipality, led by their LC1 chairperson, wrote a letter requesting Sheikh Kassim Kamugisha, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner (D/RDC) of Wakiso District, to help rehabilitate the broken bridge in their area, he has today fulfilled their request.

Residents, led by the LC1 chairman of Kinyungusi Cell, Mr. Bafaki Paul, had written a letter on October 15, 2024, requesting Sheikh Kassim’s support in rehabilitating the bridge in Kinyungusi Cell. The bridge, located near the home of the late Charles Musekuras, serves as a crucial route connecting residents of Kinyungusi, students of Bishop Barham University College, Excel High School, Kigezi High School Primary, and others. It also leads to a new playground under construction by Bishop Barham University College Kabale.For some time, this bridge has been in a deteriorated condition, hindering the transport of goods and daily movement for the community.

Today, on Saturday, November 2, 2024, as residents worked on rehabilitating the bridge, Sheikh Kassim joined them by carrying stones and clearing the path for proper water flow. Some residents of Kinyungusi Cell shared with our reporter that the broken bridge has posed significant challenges, especially for businesses and children on their way to school.

They recounted difficulties in crossing, particularly during the rainy season. Speaking with the LC1 chairman, Mr. Bafaki Paul expressed that the bridge had been in a poor state, causing difficulties for residents and students during the rainy season, as many had to remove their shoes to cross the swollen river.

He extended his gratitude to Sheikh Kassim for providing culverts and other materials for the repairs. He also thanked Bishop Barham University College Kabale (BBUC) for contributing a tree, which was used to create timber logs to support the bridge’s rehabilitation.Councillor Ahimbisibwe Job Kazemera, representing Northern Division at the district level, commented that the bridge has been a longstanding issue for the community. He noted that, during the budget conference on November 1, 2024, many councilors emphasized the importance of allocating funds to address infrastructure challenges like broken bridges and feeder roads.

Sheikh Kassim Kamugisha, the D/RDC of Wakiso District and a hopeful candidate for Member of Parliament in Kabale Municipality, thanked LC1 Chairman Bafaki for reaching out to him. He encouraged residents to contact him whenever they face similar issues, as he considers Kabale his home and wants to prevent local hardships. Sheikh Kassim, a resident of Upper Bugongi himself, mentioned that he too had faced the same challenges while using the bridge.