As the UPDF marked the 45th Tarehe Sita celebrations on 11 December 2025, residents of Nyamizi Cell in Kihanda Sub-county and Kakoni LC1 in Nyarugunda Parish celebrated something even more meaningful: a safe, well-built bridge for the first time in decades.
For years, the two communities in Kanungu District were separated by a deep, dangerous trench that affected every part of daily life. Farmers struggled to move bananas, coffee, and livestock to the market. Children risked unsafe, makeshift paths to reach school. Expectant mothers and the sick faced long, tiring walks to get to health centres. Isolation was part of everyday living.
This finally changed under the Tarehe Sita community support activities. The UPDF Engineers Brigade, working under the outreach programme, completed a new bridge worth 50 million shillings. It now links Nyamizi and Kakoni safely and easily.
Maj. Albert Mukama, who led the engineering team in the Kigezi region, said the bridge was built with the care and strength associated with military engineering. He explained that the team used local materials so that the community can maintain it. He added that although the structure looks simple, it meets all required standards and can even support heavy vehicles.
The bridge reflects the spirit of Tarehe Sita, a day when the UPDF focuses on service to the people, honouring the legacy of the 1981 Kabamba attack by giving back to communities. This year’s activities included medical camps and infrastructure works, but in Kanungu, nothing shows this commitment more clearly than the new bridge.
According to district leaders, the project has already started improving life. Traders can now move produce more easily, school attendance is rising, and access to health facilities is safer. Local leaders thanked the UPDF for removing a major safety threat.
Brig. Gen. Micheal Kibuye praised the Engineers Brigade for completing the work in less than a month. For Nyamizi and Kakoni, the bridge is more than a crossing; it is a renewed path to opportunity.
