Kabale Farmers Rejoice as Kitibya Bridge Construction Nears Completion

Farmers living in Maziba and Kyanamira sub counties in Ndorwa East of Kabale district are expressing joy and renewed hope as the long-awaited Kitibya Bridge construction along with the 6.8 km Kitibya-Mishundo-Kabanyonyi road connecting about 12 villages to the main road and central market takes shape, despite delays caused by seasonal rains. The 2.2 billion bridge and the road was contracted by Kwed Construction Company

The residents, who rely entirely on agriculture—mainly matooke, beans, Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes—had faced serious challenges transporting their produce after the old bridge became impassable. For months, they struggled to access the central market, leaving their goods to rot or forcing them to sell at very low prices.

“A bunch of matooke was going for as low as Shs 5,000, and even then, it was hard to get a buyer,” said Magret Bagyenyi, one of the farmers. Bagambisa Anna and Bahati Arinda echoed her concerns, noting that without road access and vehicles to transport their produce, their businesses had nearly collapsed.

Joshua Musinguzi District councillor representing Kyanamira sub county said the bridge is a critical link not only for farmers but also for the community at large. It connects more than five primary and secondary schools including Kigata Primary and Secondary schools Kyanamira Primary and Secondary Schools, several churches, and health centers.

“School-going children and patients faced a lot of difficulties crossing to access education and health services,” Musinguzi explained. “When this bridge is completed, we shall be among the most blessed communities, with smooth and safe travel to schools, markets, and hospitals.”

Bridget Asinga, the LC5 Woman Councillor for Kyanamira Sub- County, also praised their area Member of Parliament and the District Woman MP for lobbying the government to address the problem after years of appeals.

“We presented the issue to district authorities and our MPs for a long time. Their lobbying finally made our dream come true,” Asinga  said, expressing optimism that the bridge will spur development and make Kitibya a better place to live.

Wilfred Niwagaba , the  Ndorwa East who is the  area Member of Parliament said the bridge will be among the best in the region once completed.

“After hearing the outcry of the people, I approached the responsible ministries, and they made it possible. I am the voice of my people, and I will continue championing development in my constituency,” Niwagaba said.

Meanwhile, the project engineer  Kwed Construction Company ,Samson Isingoma revealed that they are currently at the box culvert construction stage.

“We started in early June, and after three months, we are making steady progress. By the end of December, the bridge will be completed,” the engineer stated.

He added that transporting construction materials from the main road to the site has been a major challenge due to the rugged terrain, and frequent rain has caused several work stoppages.

Despite the setbacks, the engineer assured residents that the bridge is designed to last for decades and will be one of the strongest and most reliable in the region.