By Mike Rwothomio
News about people falling off and drowning at Nyagak Paa Bruno footbridge is not peculiar to people of Zombo district in west Nile region.
The footbridge serves as vital connector thus linking neighbourhoods, social interaction and building the rural farming community that produces in bulk food crops like cassava, beans, maize amongst others.
The about 20 metres long footbridge connects the lower local governments of Atyak and Paidha in Zombo district and Nebbi Sub County in Nebbi district respectively.
Made out of three wooden logs by the locals, the makeshift foot bridge is the community only access to medical clinics, markets, amongst others yet for decades, its condition has been deplorable. Notwithstanding the risks involved, community used the footbridge since they don’t have a choice.
Across Nyagak Paa Bruno footbridge stays over 2000 people in the village of Yil, Anyola Parish, Atyak sub county that lack basic health care, roads, schools, market amongst other essential services.
On May 4, 2024, a four-year-old girl drowned at the footbridge after she fell into the water with her brother of 12 while crossing to Paidha Sub County. The brother was rescued by nearby residents whilst the deceased lifeless body was discovered two days later.
The shocking death of the pre-schooler adds to a long list of people who have perished at the very Nyagak Paa Bruno footbridge over the years. In November 2022, two women drowned after they fell into the waters at the same spot.
Speaking to this publication, Nuru Wathum, the chairperson Yil Community said since 2007, more than 20 people have perished on the footbridge and the locals now label it as “death trap”.
The 58 year old Wathum recounted the 2022 incident in which two women who were crossing the footbridge slipped into the waters only for their bodies to be retrieved four days later. He attributed the incident to sorry state of the footbridge.
“It’s so sad that we are losing many people just like that , I have stayed in this village for nearly 30 years and more than 20 people have fell and died on that footbridge since 2007 and lucky ones survived” Wathum told this publication in deep remorse.
He added that “we have made several attempts to our leaders about the foot bridge but nothing is done, we feel cheated since we are also voters too. We have have been making our own effort to ensure things work”
Apparently, the community members have mobilized resources locally to ensure the makeshift footbridge is fixed but are stuck on how to transport the logs they have acquired which is lying idle in Paidha town council, more than 30 kilometres away.
Phillip Okwonga Jawiambe, the LCI chairperson of Yil village Anyola Parish Atyak Sub-county told this publication in an interview that the village has a population of 2,244 people adding that all the 20 people who perished on the footbridge since 2007 are residents of the village and those who come for farming in the area.
Okwonga argued that for long, the community have been neglected by the leaders on grounds that they are occupying a game reserve yet the very leaders during campaigns canvas for votes in the area which had a polling station since 2006.
“They blame us and wants to evict us here but they come for campaigns during election period. A polling station was created here in 2006 and we have been voting since,” Okwonga said.
This publication has learnt that the footbridge is in Omyer forest reserve but community are hesitant to vacate it since they have been surviving there for decades and have not been given any strategic relocation plan.
Last year, hundreds from the area stormed Paidha central police station in Zombo after some National forestry authority officials attempted to evict them from the area. The incident was amicably resolved behind closed doors.
The footbridge is used by both pedestrians and motorcyclists that risks crossing over it with farm produce and those going for farming activities.
Zombo has two major fast flowing rivers namely Nyagak and Ora. But Nyagak River has taken more lives due to the deplorable state of the makeshift footbridges many of which are crafted by community who always take matters in their hands.
Last year, using resources mobilized locally, community led by their local leaders constructed a major footbridge on Nyagak River that connects Nyapea Sub County and Paidha town council. The footbridge also connects to west Nile electricity power source at Ngia village.
Apparently, ministry of works and transport has restricted local governments from constructing bridges using timbers and woods but are instead advocating for concrete and steel construction, yet many local government leaders across the country say it is expensive couple with insufficient funds.
Last year in May during the commissioning of Nyagak footbridge constructed by locals, James Oruna Oyullu, The LCV chairperson of Zombo said “As the district, we have been restricted from constructing major bridges by ministry of works and transport and also we have insufficient funds”.
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