Residents of Kamosing village in Teso North Sub-County are living in fear following the extensive destruction of a key access road, severely damaged by ongoing heavy rains.
The residents are calling for urgent government intervention as runoff water continues to weaken the soil structure, triggering a massive collapse that has formed a deep and expanding gully along the road.
The road has already been rendered impassable to vehicles, forcing residents to use an alternative route that stretches over five kilometres to access essential services.
Those living near the affected section are now forced to descend into the gully to cross to the other side, exposing them to danger.
The continuous erosion has also begun affecting nearby farms, with sections of land already lost to the advancing gully.
Last week, a woman narrowly escaped serious injury after the section of land she was standing on collapsed while she was applying fertiliser on her farm adjacent to the road.
Speaking to KNA, residents expressed fears that the situation could worsen during the ongoing long rains, warning that the road risks being completely washed away if no immediate action is taken.
They further warned that the progressing soil collapse could destroy more farmland and potentially trigger mudslides or even the sinking of nearby houses.
The residents also appealed to local leaders not to abandon them during this critical period, saying their efforts to seek help have not received the expected response.
They blamed the situation on poor planning, alleging that the road was graded without conducting proper feasibility studies or geological surveys to assess the stability of the soil.
According to them, the road had remained intact for years but began showing signs of weakness shortly after grading works were carried out, eventually giving way under heavy rains.
Alfred Kukuni, a local resident, called on the government to not only address the situation urgently but also compensate affected landowners.
“The area Member of County Assembly did well in trying to open up the road for access, but there was no proper assessment of the soil structure. A feasibility study and geological survey should have been conducted before undertaking the works,” he said.
Village elder John Kipsang urged leaders to prioritize proper consultation and adherence to required procedures before undertaking development projects.
“Leaders should always consult and follow all the necessary processes before engaging in projects such as road construction. This would help prevent such damage, which now requires a lot of resources to fix yet it could have been avoided,” he said.
By Moses Wekesa
