Karuma Bridge Closed For Three Weeks

The Ministry of Works and Transport issued a statement yesterday (24^th Monday, 2025) as it closed off Karuma Bridge for another period of three weeks to allow engineers to carry out emergency repairs.

The ministry has urged travellers in the region to use other alternative routes to reach their destinations. The ministry announced the closure saying that they needed to install expansion joints on the bridge.

According to the ministry, the closure will affect motorists travelling between Kampala and Gulu/West Nile, who will need to take a route via Luwero-Kafu-Masindi-Paraa (Murchison Falls National Park)-Pakwach. Those travelling between Kampala and Lira will need to take a detour via Iganga-Nakalama-Tirinyi-Pallisa-Kumi-Soroti-Lira.

Allan Ssempebwa, a Communications Officer at the Ministry of Works and Transport confirmed on Monday that the bridge will be closed to all traffic to enable installation of four expansion joints. The expansion joints shipped from China were delivered to the country in January this year, a month after the bridge had been temporarily reopened to traffic.

Ssempebwa assured road users plying the Gulu-Kampala highway that the contractor will expedite the installation of the expansion joints to enable traffic to resume early.

He noted that the installation works are expected to be completed within three weeks before motorists are allowed to resume using the bridge.

Ssempebwa said the rehabilitated bridge is still in good condition to be used by motorists but noted that the government is already considering the construction of an alternative bridge near the old bridge.

The proposed new suspended Karuma bridge will be funded by the Japanese government through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).  Already, the JICA team have conducted an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the proposed new bridge which was released last year.

The government deferred the installation of the expansion joints twice this month to allow for the completion of repair works on the Masindi port ferries.