Residents of Kibiito and Nyakigumba Town Councils are beaming with excitement as the construction of Mahumbuli Bridge nears completion, promising to transform connectivity and ease access to essential services in the area.

The project, implemented under the Local Economic Growth Support (LEGS) Project with funding from the Islamic Development Bank, is valued at Shs 490.9 million. Construction works kicked off in September 2024, and according to Bunyangabu District Engineer Mr. Samuel Nyaruhuma, progress now stands at 70%.

The scope of work includes opening a 2-kilometre road stretch connecting the villages of Kabada and Mahumbuli, grading and shaping the road, and installing concrete pipe culverts. Mr. Nyaruhuma confirmed that the bridge structure itself is already complete, and the road has been fully graded, with gravelling and compaction still pending.

“What's left now are the installation of cross culverts, construction of culvert ends, backfilling, and planting of grass and trees. Once these are done, the project will be ready for commissioning,” said Mr. Nyaruhuma.

Community Members have expressed optimism about the impact of the project. Kahwa Levi, a resident of Mahumbuli, hailed the progress and praised the contractor, Shataman, for being cooperative and responsive.

“The bridge and road will greatly ease access to markets, health centres, and schools,” he said, adding that the community has long struggled with poor infrastructure.

Another resident, John Kasaija, applauded the quality of work so far but called for faster completion due to the risks posed by the temporary bridge being used in the interim.

“This project will ease movement across the two town councils once complete. However, we appeal to the contractor to speed up the work for the safety of the people,” he said.

Once fully completed, the Mahumbuli Bridge and the connected road are expected to significantly enhance mobility, trade, and service delivery between the two town councils, marking a major milestone in local infrastructure development.