By Mike Rwothomio 

Religious and community leaders in the greater Nebbi subregion have united in prayer, calling on divine guidance to inspire President Yoweri Museveni to address the long-standing issue of the 119 km Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vuura road. 

Despite repeated government pledges to pave the road, its deplorable condition continues to disrupt economic and social activities for the region’s nearly one million residents.

The road’s muddy and dust-choked state severely hampers transportation, particularly for agricultural products.

Zombo, northern Uganda’s leading coffee-producing district, relies on its fertile soil to grow crops like avocados, beans, maize, and matooke, which are transported to markets in Paidha, Zeu, and Alangi. However, during the rainy season, the road becomes impassable, stranding trucks traveling to and from the Democratic Republic of Congo for weeks, crippling trade and livelihoods.

At a recent President Museveni's rally in Pakwach, Bishop Rupiny Constantine of the Nebbi Catholic Diocese opened with a prayer, asking for wisdom for Museveni to pave the road, restore railway transport, advance rural electrification, and resolve the ongoing teachers’ strike through dialogue.

“Oh Lord, help our president with wisdom and courage to tarmac our roads that continue to claim lives,” Bishop Rupiny prayed, urging blessings for Museveni’s leadership in national development.

Retired Archbishop Dr. Henry Luke Orombi, speaking at a presidential rally in Nebbi at Nyarwodho Primary School playground, praised Museveni’s nearly four-decade record of fostering peace, security, and socio-economic progress. Yet, he emphasized the urgent need to address the Nebbi-Goli-Paidha-Zombo-Zeu-Warr-Vuura road, which has caused fatalities and restricted mobility. 

“We cannot access Zombo’s wealth easily. If it rains, travel from Nebbi to Vuura is difficult. I pray you will provide infrastructure for our people to travel and for development to occur,” Orombi said.

Rev. Father Walter Wokorach, Parish Priest of Zombo Catholic Parish, reinforced this message at Museveni’s campaign rally on October 11, 2025, at Zombo Upper Primary School playground.

Citing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto theme of “protecting the gains,” he prayed for wisdom to tackle Zombo’s road challenges.

" As we have reached the level of protecting the gain Lord, Jesus you have gained enough for us. We ask you to open hearts of those responsible that, we the people of Zombo may this time share the gains of this country, and we pray for the gain of game of a tarmac road ,” Wokorach said.

The greater Nebbi subregion, comprising Zombo, Nebbi, and Pakwach districts, is a stronghold of NRM support, consistently backing Museveni and party candidates in elections. However, frustration over the road’s condition, slippery and muddy in the rainy season, dust-choked in the dry season, has grown.

Zombo District NRM Chairperson Grace Thorach, kneeling before Museveni at the Zombo rally, pleaded, “Your Excellency, please address the issue of our road; it has become a big challenge here.”

Zombo Woman MP Esther Afoyochan, in an earlier interview, prayed to the president to address the poor condition of these roads.

Similarly, Ora County MP Songa Biyika Lawrence echoed her call, emphasizing the road’s critical role in ensuring "accessibility and security."

Residents remain hopeful that the collective prayers and advocacy will lead to the fulfillment of long-standing promises to improve the Nebbi-Paidha-Vuura road, vital for the region’s economic and social progress.

Museveni speaks about the road

In response, Museveni, addressing supporters from Zombo’s 61 parishes on October 11, 2025, committed to paving the road in two phases, with the Nebbi-Zombo section contract set for April 2026, followed by Zombo-Vuura. 

“The Nebbi-Goli-Zombo-Vuura road is divided into two parts. The first, Nebbi-Zombo, will have its contract signed in April 2026,” Museveni assured, citing Uganda’s extensive road-building achievements in the past decades of his rule that runs in thousands of kilometers.

However, the President's response regarding the tarmacking of this road received mixed reactions, with many expressing skepticism about the April contract signing timeline outlined by the President.

Museveni also encouraged residents to adopt wealth-creation programs like the Parish Development Model and Emyooga to combat poverty, while emphasizing peace and security.

Following rallies in Nebbi and Zombo, he will continue engaging communities in West Nile, including Arua and Madi-Okolo.

Mike Rwothomio is news editor at zoomer Africa your number one grassroot informations