Kanungu- Residents and business operators in Buhoma Town Council Kanungu District are up in arms over the deteriorating state of Kanyantorogo- Buhoma – Bwindi tourism road.The said road is in a sorry state and it is increasingly being eaten up by dangerous potholes, a thing that continues to undermine tourism and economic activities in the area.
The residents expressed their frustration over what they described as years of unfulfilled promises by their leaders saying that their leaders have been promising to upgrade the vital tourism route ( Bwindi tourism road) which links tourists to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of Uganda’s leading tourist destinations.
‘’ We have for sure waited for a long period of time. Every time we get a chance of meeting our leaders both at local and national levels, we inform them about the sorry state of this road but they have completely kept a deaf ear about this problem’’ Mr Agaba Twinomujuni 36, a boda boda raider in Buhoma town council said.
Ms Jacqueline Musimanta 34, a mother of 3 and a business lady dealing in transportation of matooke from Kihihi daily market to Buhoma town council market said the road is in appalling condition, which affects the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.
‘’ Because of the appalling state of this road food trucks are forced to load half their capacity so that they can maneuver through the rough road and this makes loss a lot of money because at times we are forced to load 2 trucks to transport food staffs that were supposed to be transported by one truck ‘’ Ms Mbabazi said.
Ms Mbabazi added that ‘’ what annoys most is the way this road is important to this government because every day about 20-30 tourist vehicles pass through this road and I am wondering why the government has failed to work on this road ‘’.
Mr. Augustine Twinomujuni ,56, a truck driver said the sorry state of this road condition has caused great suffering among road users, affecting the transportation of goods and leading to frequent vehicle breakdowns.
‘’The sorry state of this tourism road greatly disrupts the local transport network and economic activities and because of its sorry state we increased transport fares which in turn reduced customers ’’. Mr Twinomujuni said.
He now wants the government to consider the importance of this road and work on it as soon as possible.
The Buhoma Town Council Mayor Mr Moses Bashaija said the road’s condition continues to generate concern among tourists visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which receives approximately 80 international visitors daily.
“Many tourists question why such an important tourism route remains in a dire condition despite the significant revenue generated through gorilla tracking permits,” Mr Bashaija said.
Mr Bashaija asked the government to consider and finance the rehabilitation of this road.
‘” Beyond tourism, the sorry state of this road disrupts trade mostly especially during the rainy season when heavy vehicles transporting goods from Kihihi town council struggle to access Buhoma and surrounding areas’’. Mr Bashaija said.
The Kanungu District Chairperson Mr Francis Byamukama Kapesha said he is aware of the sorry state of this road.
‘’ Am aware of this road because during my campaigns I passed through this road and for sure it was in a sorry state. But what I can tell the affected road users is that we are in touch with officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport to secure urgent intervention and resources to work on this road’’ Mr Kapesha said.
He however called for calmness among the road users saying that he will soon visit the area.
When contacted for a comment, the Kinkizi West area Member of Parliament Mr James Ruugi Kaberuka said he has repeatedly presented requests in Parliament for the rehabilitation of the Kanyantorogo-Buhoma-Bwindi tourism road but that the matter remains unresolved.
‘’ This is a tourism road which needs to be regularly maintained but I wonder why and for your information I have been tabling this road on the floor of parliament for over 10 times and the government is aware of the sorry state of this road’’. Mr Kaberuka said.
He however promised his people that will keep on pushing the government to see that this road is worked upon.
‘’ I won’t get tired. Early next week I will visit the office of minister of works and transport and share with him about the sorry state of this road ’’. Mr Kaberuka said.
The Kanungu District Woman MP Ms Patience Kinshaba Nkunda emphasized the strategic importance of the road, noting that the route serves Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a major contributor to Uganda’s tourism earnings and foreign exchange revenues.
“Am aware of the sorry state of this road and am going to engage officials at the ministry of works and transport. So as I engage the concerned office I ask the affected community to be patient with us’’. Ms Kinshaba said.
Suffering on this road.
Residents who preferred privacy cited several fatal accidents that have occurred along the road in recent months and years, attributing many of them to the poor condition of the route.
Among the incidents highlighted was the January 27, 2025 accident in which Harrison Evan Shuldman, a 40-year-old American tourist from New York, died after a tourist vehicle returning from gorilla tracking reportedly lost control and plunged into a river near Munyaga Bridge in Kakureiju Village.
Three other American tourists and their Ugandan driver sustained serious injuries.Residents also recalled the death of a local mechanic from Kihihi in 2025 following an accident along the Bushoro-Ishasha stretch, as well as the December 27, 2025 motorcycle crash that claimed the life of Roland Golola Kiiza on the Nyamigoye section of this road.
More recently, on March 11, 2026, a truck transporting iron ore overturned into the river at Munyaga Bridge, killing driver Philip Mukunya and seriously injuring his assistant, Richard Mugabe.
