Residents of Bududa District in eastern Uganda have warned that President Yoweri Museveni and local Members of Parliament risk losing support in the 2026 elections unless urgent action is taken to tarmac a 28-kilometre road that has long fallen into disrepair.
The Bubulo–Bududa Circular Road, which links farming villages on the slopes of Mount Elgon to Manafwa District and Mbale City, has become nearly impassable. Locals say the road, which turns dusty during the dry season and muddy when it rains, has crippled trade, increased poverty, and isolated communities. Farmers transporting bananas, coffee, tomatoes, and cabbages are particularly affected, with many forced to sell produce cheaply to middlemen due to the high cost of transport.
Ivan Masanga, a produce dealer in Bulambuli District, told reporters that his income has been cut by half because he can no longer deliver goods to Mbale. A recent visit revealed collapsed sections and a broken bridge, leaving residents struggling to access neighbouring districts. Trading centres along the road, once vibrant, now resemble ghost towns.
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Frustrated locals staged demonstrations last week, blocking parts of the road and planting banana suckers and cocoyams in the potholes. Wearing T-shirts with slogans such as “No Road, No Vote” and “Tarmac Bududa Road”, protesters accused the government of abandoning them.
Community leaders argue that the poor road network undermines government initiatives, including the Parish Development Model (PDM). “Poverty here has worsened because we cannot trade effectively,” said Mary Nandutu, a resident of Bududa Town Council.
Bududa remains one of Uganda’s poorest districts, with nearly half the population living in extreme poverty on less than $1.90 a day. Campaigners say the district is the only one in the Bugisu region without a single tarmacked road, despite repeated presidential pledges. Joseph Massa, who leads a pressure group lobbying for the upgrade, said Bududa had been “sidelined and neglected” even though residents have consistently supported government programmes.
District chairperson Milton Kamoti criticised what he described as “empty promises,” while Works and Transport Minister Gen Edward Katumba Wamala insisted progress was being made. He said a contract between the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and a contractor was signed in May 2024, though financial negotiations were still ongoing. He added that the project had not been included in the 2025/26 budget because it was still in the preparatory stage.
President Museveni has previously promised to rehabilitate the Bubulo–Bududa Circular Road, most recently during a December 2024 visit, when he assured residents that construction would begin “early next year.”
Bududa, with a population of more than 210,000, is a key food supplier for eastern Uganda and beyond, with produce often transported to Kenya and South Sudan. The disputed road also serves as the shortest route to Wagagai Peak, Mount Elgon’s highest point, and to tourist attractions such as caves and bullfighting sites.
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