LOCALS AT LOGGERHEADS WITH RUBANDA DISTRICT AUTHORITIES OVER DELAYED REHABILITATION OF GRAVITY FLOW SCHEME

By Ronald Kabanza

www.mknewslink.com

In Rubanda—

Residents of Nyamweru Sub County in Rubanda district are up in arms against district authorities over the abandoned rehabilitation of Nyakasazi gravity flow scheme.

The gravity flow scheme which serves over 800 households in Nyamweru Sub County was constructed by the Diocese of Kigezi at a cost of UGX 45 million shillings over a decade ago. It was later taken over by Rubanda district local government in 2016 after being curved from Kabale district.

In 2019/2020 financial year, Rubanda district council allocated 57 million shillings towards its rehabilitation and WEPA Logistics Uganda Limited was contracted to rehabilitate the gravity flow scheme by replacing broken pipes, reconstructing leaking tanks and erecting taps among others.

Peter Rwaminyasiro and Emily Monday all residents of Nyakasazi village in Nyamweru Sub County said that the works was done half way and the contractor disappeared without clear reasons. They said that they currently fetch water from a pond in the area that they share with animals.

Justus Kakwenza Owoyesiga, the councilor representing Nyamweru Sub County says that the works stopped before the level of re-directing water into the tap stands so that locals start fetching.  He said that people currently trek long distances to get clean water while the health facilities and schools in the sub county have also been left without clean water.

The Rubanda District Chairman Jogo Kenneth Biryabarema said that the contractor abandoned the rehabilitation works after residents continued to vandalize the water sources where they had worked.

Biryabarema said that they are planning to sensitize the beneficiaries about the importance of water in their area before the works resume.

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