Darlington Lorika shared his distressing experience, which left him shaken and fearful. While driving, he came across a section of Lion’s Bridge that appeared shallow but quickly deepened, causing his car to sink.

The water rose to cover the bonnet, and the engine began to lose power. Despite his efforts to accelerate and move the car, the situation felt agonizingly prolonged, as he was caught in a perilous situation.

In a stroke of luck, Lorika managed to maneuver his car out of the deep water, narrowly escaping what could have been a fatal accident. He attributed his escape to divine intervention, as he had prayed for help during the crisis.

Lion’s Bridge, a crucial link between Abim and Napak district, as well as Moroto, has long been a trouble spot, plagued by flooding and road hazards. In 2022, the Minister for Works and Transport urged the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to reconstruct the bridge, but progress has been minimal.

Persistent flooding forces drivers traveling from Moroto to Abim to take a much longer route of nearly 300 kilometers via Soroti. Joseph Otim, a Moroto resident who regularly visits family in Abim, voiced his frustration over the costly and risky detour.