The bridge that facilitates transport between Gakenke and Muhanga district has been washed away by floods again, officials announced. This happened Wednesday, April 20, just 10 days after the bridge was reconstructed at a cost of Rwf185 million. The Gahira Bridge, which connects Rongi sector in Muhanga to Ruli in Gakenke had been eroded by flooding on River Nyabarongo in previous years. After being rehabilitated last year in December, it collapsed again in January this year. This is the third time the bridge has been destroyed and has cost the government millions of money in rehabilitation. Eric Bizimana, the vice Mayor in charge of economic development in Muhanga district announced that a big part of the bridge on Gakenke side was severely damaged and washed away towards Muhanga side. “Despite the big loss caused by the damages, the cooperation between the districts continues following the deployed marine motorised boats,” he said. Over 1,000 people cross the bridge between Muhanga and Gakenke every day. / Courtesy Last week after inaugurating the bridge, Bizimana told The New Times that the bridge that had been completed was a temporary solution while a sustainable one is under study by Rwanda Transport Development Agency (RTDA) in partnership with the two districts. The plan is to have a better bridge that is resilient to disasters and will also allow heavy vehicles and trucks to cross. Over 1,000 people use the bridge every day, according to authorities. “The bridge is mainly for Gakenke residents to take their merchandise to Mbuye market in Muhanga while Muhanga residents cross to Gakenke for work in mining concessions among others,” he said. Fighting erosion, flooding Erosion and floods have been the primary source of damage to the bridge. Bizimana said that about Rwf500 million has been earmarked in the next fiscal year to protect the river from erosion. “We have to protect the river’s buffer zone, plant trees on hills surrounding it and build anti-erosion facilities in the catchment. This will reduce debris, erosion and flooding that usually destroys Gahira Bridge,” he said. He added that while the rehabilitated bridge is for temporary solution, the district will be working with community and local leaders to always do community work to clear debris and eroded soil that destroys the bridge during heavy rains. A 2016 study modelled the extent of soil loss in the River Nyabarongo basin, showing that the total annual estimated soil loss was 409 million tons with a mean erosion rate of 490 tonne per hectare. A new research carried out from April to October 2021 also found that the absence of soil erosion control measures accounts for 24.4 per cent of the factors that pollute the river.
