East African Gazette
Rakai
The residents of Kiziba and Mweruka town councils in Rakai district have a reason to smile, after a government launched a new water supply source under the Integrated Water Management Development Project (IWMDP), implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment.
The new water project in Rakai aims to reduce the financial burden on families by providing affordable access to clean water.
Throughout the years, the area had been greatly affected by a lack of fresh water due to prolonged droughts, leading residents to travel long distances to find water sources.
The project, which was launched on June 20, 2024, is expected to last for twelve months.
It aims to benefit approximately 4000 residents in areas of Kiziba, Kasese, Kijwala, Mweruka, Kyajjumba, Kiyolo, and other surrounding areas in Ndagga, and Rwakakara perishes.
For nearly 15 years, the Ministry of Water has been conducting studies on the water sources in Rakai. These studies revealed that the water base contained high levels of iron, making it salty and unsuitable for domestic use and animal consumption.
During the project launch on June 20, 2024, Engineer James Sseguya, the principal engineer at the Ministry of Water, shared that new findings and technologies have been discovered to treat the water and ensure its safety for the communities.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be sh9.9 billion, funded by the World Bank and the Government of Uganda.
The implementation of the project will be carried out by Reddy’s Technical Services within a one-year timeframe.
While launching the project, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Rakai district, Sarah Kiyimba emphasized the importance of responsible use of government funds and urged the project implementers to provide high-quality work while treating the locals with respect and fairness.
“This is what the president Museveni is always fighting for, his local people to have access to good free health care, free education and free and clean water for the population and animals”, explained Kiyimba.
However, a significant amount of shs379, 340,198 million has been allocated for compensating nearly 71 project affected persons (PAPS) who own crops, land, and buildings along the project’s designated area.
Richard Ocaya, the general manager of Reddy’s technical services, provided an explanation that the project will cover a distance of approximately 60 kilometers, encompassing three parishes: Kigumba ward, Magabi, and Mweruka, which consist of a total of 10 villages.
To ensure proper water supply, a total of 210 public taps will be installed at various points in different communities, along with a 162cm2 water reservoir tank and boreholes in the Magabirano and Kasese areas, as Ocaya explained.
The project will also involve the construction of sanitation facilities including waterborne toilets at Mweruka health center; ventilated improved pit latrines (VIP) at Mweruka School; and five VIP latrines at Magabirano School.
James Nuwamanya, the Mayor of Mweruka town council, urged the project implementer to expedite the process, stressing that residents incur significant costs in purchasing water during dry seasons, with a jerrican of water costing between shs1000/= and shs2000/= during such periods.
He noted that this situation makes it expensive to sustain their animals and households.
Nuwamanya requested that both residents and projected affected persons cooperate with the project, as the government, under the Ministry of Water and Environment, is in the process of compensating them within the next few months, now that the funds have been received.
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