More than 50 travellers were left stranded on Wednesday after torrential rains rendered the road to Sinyanya landing site in Ukusijoni Sub-county, Adjumani District, completely impassable.
The route, vital for access to the Obongi ferry across the River Nile, has long been in a state of disrepair but has worsened drastically with the onset of the rainy season.
The road, managed by the Ministry of Works and Transport, connects Adjumani and Obongi districts and is a critical artery for movement of people, farm produce, and essential supplies.
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Yet it has not seen maintenance in over a year, despite repeated appeals from local leaders and road users.
"This is not just a road. It's our lifeline," said Juliet Atimaku, a mother of three who was en route to a burial in Obongi.
"I left Mungula at 6am hoping to catch the 9am ferry, but here I am, stuck in the mud with my children. No one seems to care."
For transporters, the situation has become unbearable.
"This is the third time in two weeks I've gotten stuck here," lamented Julius Ogwal, a driver who shuttles passengers and goods between Adjumani and Obongi.
"I lose money, time, and fuel. The road is gone--completely washed out in some places. I don't understand why the Ministry has abandoned it."
The Sinyanya landing site serves as a major transit point in the West Nile sub-region.
The Obongi ferry--also operated by the Ministry--remains an essential link for regional trade, access to health services, and school attendance.
But for residents like Rose Driciru, a farmer in Ukusijoni, the ferry might as well not exist.
"Without that ferry, I can't take my produce to market or get inputs for the next season," Driciru said.
"But what use is a ferry if we can't even reach it? Government should prioritize this road before we lose everything."
The rainy season has laid bare the vulnerability of Adjumani's rural road network.
Deep potholes and flooded gullies now dot the route, forcing school children to walk for hours and endangering the sick who need transport to health centres.
"This is not just an inconvenience--it's a public health and economic crisis," said a local LC official who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.
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"We've written to the Ministry multiple times. Nothing has been done."
Efforts to get a comment from the Ministry of Works and Transport were unsuccessful.
At press time, Public Relations Officer Allan Ssempebwa had not responded to calls.
As the rains continue to batter the region, the stranded passengers, angry drivers, and struggling farmers all echo one sentiment: enough is enough.
For now, they remain stuck--physically and figuratively--waiting for action that has been promised but never delivered.
