The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has completed a new community bridge designed to strengthen trade, transport, and access to essential services in Kanungu District. The structure connects Nyamizi Cell in Kihanda Sub-county with Kakoni LC1 in Nyarugunda Parish, an area that has long struggled with mobility challenges.

Constructed by the UPDF Engineers Brigade at a cost of 50 million shillings, the bridge is one of the key community support projects aligned with the 45th Tarehe Sita celebrations. Its development comes as a major relief for residents who have faced ongoing difficulties transporting produce such as bananas, coffee, and livestock, as well as reaching schools and health facilities.

Maj Albert Mukama, who leads the UPDF Engineers team in the Kigezi region, highlighted that the project made use of readily available materials including stones and timber, applying a smart, cost-efficient engineering approach. He emphasized that the structure meets stringent military engineering standards, ensuring its ability to safely support heavier vehicles. The officer also noted that the team has successfully built similar bridges in the Democratic Republic of Congo capable of carrying trucks and tankers.

Maj Mukama explained that before this intervention, community members struggled to move goods across the steep terrain, particularly during rainy seasons when the stream became dangerous. He expressed confidence that the new bridge could serve the community for at least two decades with proper maintenance.

Local leader Kintu Henry praised the UPDF for addressing a long-standing infrastructural gap, noting that residents previously risked their lives crossing the valley, especially school children who had relied on a makeshift bridge that often became unsafe after heavy rains. According to him, “residents had long struggled to cross a difficult valley, but the situation has now improved.”

Brig Gen Micheal Kibuye, the UPDF Director of Civil Military Cooperation, commended the Engineers Brigade for completing the project in under a month, stating that it is among several civil–military development initiatives being undertaken in Kigezi as part of the 45th Tarehe Sita activities.

The UPDF is expected to officially hand over the new bridge to the community on January 6, 2026, marking a significant milestone in improving rural connectivity and boosting local economic activity in Kanungu District.