Arua City residents have expressed concerns about the state of the city’s roads and the unregulated parking that has led to chaos on its streets. The situation is particularly prominent on various streets, including the Avenue, Adumi, Rhino Camp, Go down, and Idi Amin streets, where cars, boda-boda cyclists, and trucks are parked without proper guidelines. This indiscriminate parking has resulted in narrower roads, causing inconvenience to road users.
Lemerijoa Road, in particular, has seen the presence of roadside vendors, making it challenging for both pedestrians and cars to navigate the area freely. Additionally, the narrow roads have become accident-prone zones as drivers, pedestrians, and motorists struggle to maneuver due to double parking.
The streets now have limited space for both carriageway and pedestrian lanes due to the high number of parked cars, exacerbated by the city’s growing population. Many drivers, like Mr. Salim Ali, feel compelled to park on the streets due to the lack of designated parking spaces, which often results in frustration. Mr. Ali suggested that the city authorities should regulate storied buildings to incorporate ground parking facilities to address the issue.
Car owners, such as Ms. Joyce Avako, have expressed their concerns about parking in the city center, with fears of their vehicles getting scratched. She revealed that she sometimes resorts to using boda bodas for transactions to avoid potential damage to her car, citing a recent incident where she spent Shs700,000 to repair a scratch.
Adumi Road is particularly affected, with numerous trucks parking on both sides for goods offloading. Mr. Moses Findru, the City Physical Planner, acknowledged the challenges posed by the growing population and unplanned buildings, suggesting that widening the dual carriageways could help divert trucks to alleviate congestion.
In 2020, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated Arua City’s mid-year population to be 72,400, with projections indicating a population of 361,400 in 2023. The city’s strategic location as a trade route between Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo has fueled cross-border trade and labor mobility. However, the increasing number of vehicles from DR Congo has exacerbated the street parking issues, as traders and nationals from neighboring countries depend heavily on Arua City for goods and services.
City planning authorities recognize the need for road re-planning to accommodate the growing trade volume. Arua City serves as a regional trade hub, attracting people from various regions seeking access to its services.
