Kampala, Uganda — Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport has diverted heavy trucks and trailers off a key section of the Karuma–Kamdini highway after part of the road collapsed following heavy rains, disrupting one of northern Uganda’s busiest trade routes.
According to a ministry statement issued on Sunday, the road failure occurred about one kilometer from the Karuma–Olwiyo/Pakwach junction on the Gulu Highway, near the Uganda Revenue Authority checkpoint.
Preliminary assessments indicate the collapse was caused by embankment failure triggered by persistent rainfall in the area.
“The affected section has been hoarded off, and traffic is being managed on a single lane,” the ministry said, adding that restoration teams have been mobilized to repair the damaged section “as soon as possible.”
Authorities advised motorists to drive cautiously and obey traffic control instructions.
Heavy trucks and trailers have been diverted at the Karuma–Pakwach junction to proceed through Olwiyo Trading Centre and Anaka before rejoining the Gulu highway—a detour of roughly 113 kilometers.
The Karuma–Kamdini section is a critical link connecting central Uganda to the north and to cross-border trade routes serving South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Prolonged rainfall in northern Uganda over recent weeks has heightened concerns over infrastructure resilience and road safety, prompting renewed calls for accelerated road drainage and climate-proofing projects.
The ministry apologized for the disruption and said it “regrets the inconvenience caused” as emergency interventions continue.
(chimp reports)