Minister Forced to Reroute After Confrontation with Angry Residents

Tension escalated on Tuesday in Nyombe Parish, Kahungye Sub-county, Ndorwa County West, after residents took matters into their own hands by dismantling a dilapidated bridge along the Rwenkorongo-Nyombe-Katete-Nkora Road.

This action effectively blocked Minister David Bahati and his campaign team from reaching parts of Butanda Sub-county during their ongoing village-to-village mobilisation campaign.

Minister Bahati, who serves as the State Minister for Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, was traveling to campaign meetings in Hamuhambo and Kifurugutu villages when the incident occurred.

The angry residents accused him of failing to fulfill longstanding promises to repair the Kabaya Bridge, which lies close to Kabaya Parents Primary School and is surrounded by Habuhinga and Kasiru villages.

The bridge has reportedly been in a hazardous condition for several years, creating significant risks for school children and local traders who depend on it daily.

Despite Minister Bahati’s repeated assurances during previous election campaigns that the bridge would be rehabilitated, the situation remains unchanged.

This perceived neglect has frustrated residents, prompting them to take direct action to highlight the issue.

“We are tired of empty promises. Every election season, he tells us the bridge will be fixed, but after voting, nothing happens,” one of the protesters said, expressing the community’s growing impatience and distrust toward the minister’s commitments.

The dilapidated state of the Kabaya Bridge has long been a safety concern, especially for vulnerable groups like children commuting to school and small-scale traders who rely on the route for their daily activities.

Its deterioration has not only compromised safety but also hindered economic activities, isolating parts of the community.

Following the dismantling of the bridge, Minister Bahati’s campaign team was compelled to abandon their planned route and seek alternative ways to access Butanda Sub-county.

This disruption is likely to affect the momentum of the ongoing mobilisation efforts and has drawn attention to the pressing infrastructure challenges faced by the area