Following the sudden flooding of River Kafu along the Hoima-Kampala Highway, transporters have been forced to change the route via Masindi.
Mr Ham Mugisa, the Chairman of the Management of Hoima Taxi/Bus Park, has told Kazi-njema online radio reporter that due to the route change, they have increased transport cost to Shs25,000 up from Shs20,000.
He said transporters changed the route immediately after receiving reports of the river bursting its banks at around 1pm today Monday, November 6, 2023.
Mr Mugisa said some drivers who had advanced to Kyankwazi from Kampala were forced to branch off from Katanaabirwa, pass via Kisiita-Nalweyo to connect to Hoima with negotiable cost increase since they were already en-route.
By evening at around 5pm, police had been deployed to guide the growing traffic on both sides of the river to avoid accidents.
Unconfirmed reports asserted that an unidentified child had drowned in an attempt to cross the river before the flood water rose; totally disconnecting Hoima from Kyankwanzi district along the highway.
Reports that the same river had flooded near its source where it separates Kakumuro district from Kikuube district were dismissed by drivers by 6pm.
The bursting of the River Kafu is not a new phenomenon but it may symbolise the growing effects of climate change as water levels rise as the rainy season is expected to be ending contrary to normal.
Relatedly, River Ruzaire in Kagadi district parts of Kinyarugonjo has rejuvenated clearing all vegetation along the banks including crops. This river rejuvenates periodically.
