State minister for Works Musa Ecweru has directed the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to re-open the Kabale-kisoro Road for essential traffic flow as works on the damaged spot continue.

The minister was at Hamurwa town council in Rubanda district on Saturday to assess the intensity of the road damage that occurred on Thursday morning following a heavy downpour.

On Friday, UNRA had forcefully closed down the Kabale-Kisoro road at Hamurwa town council to pave way for repairs on the road that was devastated by mudslides and it provided alternative routs of Kabale-Katuna-Rubaya-Muko road (88km) to access Kisorom and  the Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kacwekano-Kagarama-Heisesero route (20Km).

 UNRA had closed the road to pave way for repair but the minister says that closing such a vital road has tough effects on the country's economy.

UNRA later released a statement advising motorists to use other alternative to kisoro.

However, according to Ecweru, the Kabale-Kisoro is essential for businesses and closing it would affect the country and the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

He says that his ministry has already designated Ushs 3 Billion to help UNRA in repairing the roads that were badly hit by the recent landslides in Kigezi sub-region.

Ecweru adds that they will also consider empowering the local authorities to upgrade the status of access roads to secure alternative routes in case similar disasters hit again.

The minister also visited the Hamurwa floating bridge that connects Hamurwa to Kanungu district. The same place was submerged by the floods . he noted that this spot will be upgraded as the country prioritises tourism roads in the next financial year.

The  district chairperson, Stephen Kasyaba noted that the Kabale-Kisoro road is not in a good shape because it was not properly drained during its construction.

Kasyaba asked the central government to quickly empower them in rehabilitating the access roads since the alternative routes that UNRA suggested to motorists are in a poor state.

Kigezi is among regions across the country that is receiving heavy rains.  The heavy rains have caused the death of about 18 people in the districts of Rukiga,Rubanda and Kisoro between the night of Tuesday- Wednesday this week.