KAMPALA, 16 November 2025 — The The Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) has issued an urgent traffic advisory today, confirming the failure of a critical section of the Karuma-Kamdini Road along the Gulu Highway. The catastrophic damage has rendered the busy national artery unsafe, forcing authorities to implement an immediate and lengthy diversion for all vehicular traffic.
The failed section is located approximately one kilometre from the Karuma–Olwiya/Pakwach junction, on the side heading toward Kampala. According to the advisory, more than half of the road carriageway has been affected, with the Ministry attributing the rapid deterioration to persistent heavy rains that have severely impacted and undermined the road’s embankment.
In the interest of public safety, the affected road section has been completely sealed off as the Ministry mobilizes teams for emergency restoration and repair works.
Mandatory Diversion Route
Motorists traveling between Kampala and Gulu, and vice versa, are strictly urged to avoid the affected area and follow the designated diversion route:
- Vehicles approaching from Kampala must divert at the Karuma-Pakwach junction (URA checkpoint).
- They must proceed to Olwiyo Trading Centre (a distance of approximately 51 kilometres).
- From Olwiyo, vehicles must turn right and continue through Anaka to Gulu (an additional 62 kilometres).
This alternative path must be followed in reverse for traffic heading from Gulu towards Kampala.
Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa confirmed that the diversion is mandatory for all vehicles and called on motorists to exercise extreme caution when navigating the temporary route. The Ministry stated it regrets the inevitable inconvenience caused and promised to issue further updates as the emergency restoration work progresses.
