Lira City | Frustrated residents of Junior Quarters A in Lira City West Division have resorted to planting banana plants in the middle of a waterlogged road to protest what they describe as “more than ten years of neglect by city authorities.”

The symbolic protest took place on Kole Road in the former Adyel Division, where locals say the deteriorating road has become nearly impassable, disrupting transport, businesses and daily life.

Adam Ogoga, chairperson of Te-Ituba Boda Boda Stage in Junior Quarters A, said the poor state of the road has greatly affected transport services and the livelihoods of boda boda riders.

“We have repeatedly raised concerns with the relevant authorities about this road, but our pleas have fallen on deaf ears,” Ogoga said. “Almost all the roads within Junior Quarters are impassable. We appeal to the authorities to repair them so that businesses can thrive and people can move safely,” he added.

Tom Okello Olet, a resident and boda boda rider, echoed the concerns, saying the poor road network is driving away customers and reducing their income.

“The road has become impossible to use. Our boda boda business is collapsing because people and motorcycles struggle to pass through it,” he said.

Former Adyel division councillor, Lilly Oyeng, said she had persistently lobbied for the rehabilitation of roads in Junior Quarters without success.

“I have been pleading with the authorities to work on these roads, but nothing has changed,” Oyeng said. “Now that residents have planted a banana tree, they might soon bring fish to breed there because the road has turned into a pond.”

She urged city leaders to expedite road repairs to reduce the risk of road crashes and improve accessibility.

LC1 chairperson for Junior Quarters A, David Akora Bua, said he was not surprised by the residents’ actions, noting that local leaders had repeatedly reported the matter.

“I cannot blame the residents because we have consistently raised concerns over this road,” Akora said. “Three roads in Junior Quarters are currently impassable: Kole Road, where the banana tree was planted, Police Road and Ogwal Road. They all urgently need rehabilitation.”

Responding to the concerns, Lira City Council spokesperson, Robert Okello Ayo, acknowledged the poor condition of several roads within the city, saying the roads are included in the city’s infrastructure improvement plans.

“We recognise the status of these roads, and they are among those scheduled for repair,” Ayo said. “However, residents should stop planting banana trees on roads as a way of expressing grievances because that is not the proper channel. We ask the public to remain calm as the city implements its road maintenance plans.”

The protest comes at a time when Lira City Council continues to benefit from the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme, which has financed the upgrading of several urban roads and public infrastructure over the years.

The city has received substantial USMID funding for infrastructure development even when it was still a municipality, although residents of Junior Quarters say their roads have remained unattended despite the investments elsewhere.

The demonstration also comes amid the government’s nationwide allocation of shs1 billion to every district and city local government for road maintenance.

Residents argue that while USMID funding primarily supports major urban infrastructure projects, the additional road maintenance allocation should help address neglected community roads such as those in Junior Quarters.

According to residents, the road where the banana tree was planted has gone more than ten years without maintenance, leaving it riddled with deep potholes and waterlogged sections that become nearly impassable during the rainy season.

Junior Quarters was once known for its well-maintained roads and planned neighbourhoods.

Residents now say the area’s deteriorating road network reflects years of neglect and are urging authorities to prioritise its rehabilitation before more businesses are affected and accidents occur.