Drama ensued in Bulongo, Kayayumbe, Kirundamarigga villages in Rakai District when angry residents of staged a protest over the poor state of major roads in the area on Sunday.
According to the angry residents, many of the roads in the area have become impassable, following floods that devastated the area in recent months. The affected roads include, among others; the Lumbugu-Buyamba-Lwamaggwa road, which connects to Lyantonde district and was ruined by the floods from Lake Kijjanebarola.
On Sunday, the residents who were blaming Robert Benon Mugabi, the Rakai District Chairperson and other leaders for failing to repair the devastated sections especially at Kirundamarigga and Byoolo as well as several impassable feeder roads in Bulongo, Kayayumbe and Nsozibbiri held protests.
They attacked Mugabi who was heading to his home in Lwamaggwa, but could not pass the Kirundamarigga spot on the main road, one of the devastated sections on the road, and decided to branch off and take the Bulongo route in order to connect to Buyamba trading centre and then proceed to Lwamagwa.
This according to residents, is the only shortcut the motorists are using currently to reach Lumbugu and Buyamba.
However, soon as his car was spotted, residents blocked his access with logs and asked him to use the main road which he reportedly failed to repair. Nugebe attempted to plead with the protestors who ignored him as they insisted that he drives back.
They later demanded that he contributes at least 5,000 to boost the morale of residents who are fixing the potholes and impassable areas, but Mugabi declined and instead tried to forcibly remove the barricades before he was roughed up by a group of angry youths.
Not even his bodyguard could save the situation as crowds kept on swelling and became more disruptive, until Mugabi paid 50,000 to appreciate their effort.