Soroti City Faces Infrastructure Crisis: Equipment Shortage and Heavy Trucks Strain Roads

Soroti City is experiencing a critical infrastructure deficit, primarily due to the absence of dedicated road maintenance and construction equipment. City officials report that this shortage significantly hampers their ability to manage the expanding road network, leading to some routes becoming impassable.

The financial implications are substantial, with the city forced to hire essential machinery like graders at exorbitant daily rates, often consuming a large portion of allocated project budgets. For instance, a one-week project costing Shs26 million could potentially require Shs20 million solely for equipment rental, excluding fuel.

Compounding the issue is the absence of a bypass road, forcing large, heavy trucks transporting goods along the Great North Road to navigate through the city’s narrow streets. This traffic poses a grave danger to residents, with reports of frequent accidents, including fatalities and overturned trailers, creating what local leaders describe as a “disaster waiting to happen.”

During a recent monitoring visit, the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring, Ms. Sandra Santa Alum, expressed concern over the inefficient use of allocated infrastructure funds. She questioned the effectiveness of providing funds for road works when a significant portion is diverted to equipment hiring. The Minister pledged to relay these concerns to relevant ministries upon her return to Kampala, highlighting a broader governmental planning and implementation weakness.

City leaders are urging the Ministry of Works to prioritize the construction of a bypass and to allocate road equipment to Soroti City, noting that promises for such provisions have been made repeatedly without action. The potential reallocation of equipment from former government road agencies is also being considered.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/soroti-seeks-infrastructure-equipment-as-heavy-trucks-choke-city-roads-5616364