By The Insight Post-Uganda
Mukono, Uganda
Katosi town council in Mukono District holds an African adage, ‘Living near a lake doesn’t mean you eat fish whenever you need.’
In a distressing tale of promise and persistence, the residents of this town council and its neighbouring communities find themselves grappling with water scarcity that defies their geographical advantage.
Katosi is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and houses a big water treatment plant that was supposed to supply clean water to different households as part of the cooperate social responsibility.
It’s now more than two years since the water treatment plant was launched, but the residents around the project are still stuck in a situation where their hopes for clean and safe water haven’t come true. The pipes and other materials are lying idle which leaves so many questions in the prospected beneficiaries’ mind.
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), which was tasked to bring water closer to the households, is now blamed for not fulfilling its duty.
A recent visit from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Buganda Region Caucus infused a spark of hope into the residents’ hearts.
Fred Kayondo, the Area Member of Parliament for Mukono South Constituency, seized this moment to remind the NWSC of its duty.
Amid the imposing pipes and dormant equipment that lie as silent witnesses, Kayondo’s voice resonated with the frustrations of those who had waited for far too long.
“Many expensive pipes have been kept here on the ground for a long time, and they’re not being used at all. Maybe it’s better to take them to places in the country where they can actually use them,” Kayondo suggested.
The pain that Kayondo vocalized reverberates through the lives of Katosi’s inhabitants and those of the adjacent sub-counties – Mpunge, Mpatta, Ntenjeru, and Nkokonjeru. Each member of this chorus of disenchantment carries a unique story, but the overarching theme is one of struggle.
Victoria Nakafunga, one of the residents, sounds upset as she talks about her experience. The lake that used to be easy to reach is now blocked by big walls put up by rich people who took over the land. It’s like a tease from far away.
According to Nakafunga, even though the water isn’t clean, people have to travel far to get it or but from vendors at UGX1000 for a 20ltr-jerrican of water. This is a big expense for them, especially since they don’t earn much.
Bob Katewu, the Speaker of Mpunge sub-county, paints a picture of disease-ridden shadows that plague the community. The waterborne villains – cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and typhoid, haunt the inhabitants with their feverish grip.
The water treatment plant, a beacon of hope, had promised liberation from these afflictions, yet the reality remains a cruel contradiction.
Amidst discontent, NWSC’s accomplishments seem dwarfed by unmet expectations. The project’s initial mandate was met partially, with water flowing to the towns within Mukono Municipality, Wakiso, and Kampala.
However, a conversation with the officials paints a picture of mixed signals.
Eng. Muhmood Lutaaya, who is in charge of NWSC in Kampala, suggests that they have talked with the communities and come to an agreement. He mentions the term “umbrellas,” which means disagreements, and it seems like they have managed to calm these disagreements, according to him.
However, Johnson Amayo, the Deputy Managing Director in Charge of Technical Services, reveals a different layer to the tale. Suppliers of fittings have thrown a wrench into the well-laid plans, resulting in an unfortunate standstill.
As the community yearns for a resolution, the looming specter of investigation casts shadows over the station manager at Katosi. Accusations from Kayondo have triggered a ripple, echoing across the still waters of this chronicle.
Katosi water treatment plant has a capacity supply of 240 million littres but it is set to produce 160 million litres. Added to the 240 million litres produced by the Ggaba plant. Produced water serves the population of the Kampala Metropolitan Area which covers Kampala, Wakiso, and Mukono which used to rely on only the Ggaba plant).
END
English 