Teargas galore as police disperse protesters in Bobasi

Police in Nyamache area of Bobasi on Monday lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse residents who were demonstrating to push for the repair of a local bridge that was swept away by flash floods a year ago.

The broken bridge has cut off transport between Nyamache Town and neighbouring areas.

The protests were the latest of a spate of demonstrations led by area MCAs, Michael Motume (Masige West) and Jacob Bagaka (Masige East) and the deputy governor.

Access to the business district, subcounty hospital and local administrative offices has been affected since the bridge was washed away, the leaders said. 

Residents who spoke to journalists called on Bobasi MP Innocent Obiri to expedite the repair works to the bridge.

Grace Nyamoti, a resident from Tukia ya Mwana area, said transportation of bodies to and from the local morgue at Nyamache Subounty Hospital is a huge challenge.

"It gets worse when you have an expectant mother or a patient requiring emergency treatment at the health facility," she said.

Other residents also called on the MP to speedly fix the bridge saying it's part of the reason they overwhelmingly voted for him.

"If he cannot manage, he should surrender it to other agencies willing to help so that normalcy can be restored," Samuel Mokua said.

The resident said they have previoulsy held similar protests but nothing has been done as they continue to suffer.

"This is not the first, we have been here severally. This is the sixth one and I'm now doubting whether the MP is emphatising with our plight," Mokua added.

Nyabuto Ototo, a local activist, said some shops established near the bridge have already closed.

They said incidents of people drowning as they attempted to cross the dilapidated bridge have also been reported, the latest being an incident where a rider slid down into the river after his motorbike lost control.

The area MCAs gave MP Obiri a two-week ultimatum to fix the bridge or face the mother of all protests.

"I'm an elected leader too like him but that does not mean I will not wake up the MP for failing in his duty," Motume told reporters.

Bagaka pushed for effective political leadership adding that such little projects should be prioritised.