The Ministry of Works and Transport has announced the full closure of the Kampala-Gulu Highway section between Kamdini and Karuma, just beyond the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) checkpoint for travelers from Kampala, due to severe structural damage.
The closure was confirmed in an official statement released on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
According to the ministry, the road has deteriorated significantly as a result of prolonged heavy rains, prompting authorities to declare the stretch unsafe for all vehicles.
“More than half of the carriageway is now affected rendering the section unsafe for all traffic,” reads part of the statement.
This incident comes after an earlier embankment failure in the same area at the beginning of November, highlighting ongoing infrastructure challenges in the region amid persistent seasonal downpours.
Motorists have been urged to use alternative routes and strictly follow safety advisories as engineers and emergency response teams continue to assess the extent of the destruction and initiate repairs.
The Ministry reaffirmed that public safety remains the highest priority and assured that timely updates will be provided as restoration works progress.
All vehicles are advised to divert at the Karuma-Pakwach junction, using the route via Olwiyo Trading Centre and Anaka (about 51 kilometers) to rejoin the Gulu Highway. Alternatively, motorists can opt for the eastern route through Gulu-Kamdini-Lira-Soroti-Tirinyi-Pallisa-Iganga-Jinja to Kampala, or consider the ferry route via Apac-Masindi Port.
