By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba
apearlnews.com
A bitter row has erupted between Rukiga District Authorities and the South Western Umbrella of Water and Sanitation following protests by locals against the water user fees imposed on the Nyangorogoro gravity flow water scheme.
Nyangorogoro gravity water flow scheme was constructed about 17 years ago by the communities in Rwamucucu Subcounty with help from the Diocese of Kigezi.
Access to water was free until 2017 when the South Western Umbrella of water took over and introduced a fee of 100 shillings for every 20 liter jerrycan of water as maintenance fees for the scheme.
According to Rwamucucu Sub county LC.5 Councilor Eddie Mugisha , the water scheme was constructed in 2004. He says that the construction took 150 days covering 10 Kilometers with 23 tap stands, three collection tanks and two Pressure breaking points.
Mugisha says people from villages of Rweza, Kitwe, Nyamikono, Nyangorogoro, Rugarama, Rwongora surrendered land for the construction of the water scheme when the Kigezi Diocese offered to help them get access to clean water in 2004.
He says locals also contributed money to buy sand and cement among other construction materials such as stones in addition to providing free labor.
Mugisha says the people of Rwamucucu had failed to raise the money being charged and the efforts of the locals have since then been disregarded.
He says locals have now resorted back to using water from the swamps for domestic use, which put them at a risk of acquiring water borne diseases.
The Rukiga District Vice Chairperson Micheal Kwarikunda Mbareeba says he also doesn’t understand how South Western Water Umbrella took over the water scheme. Mbareeba who is also the outgoing LC.5 Youth Councilor has asked the locals in Rukiga District to continue refusing to pay any water bills levied on community water schemes without their consent.
Kamwezi Subcounty outgoing Local council V Councilor Jackson Muganizi says that South Western Umbrella should have constructed its own water scheme for management instead of imposing bills on the already existing schemes.
In an interview with our reporter, the area Manager for South Western Umbrella of Water Moses Bujure revealed that they took over after Water supply systems in Rukiga District were gazetted by the Ministry of Water and Environment in 2017.
He said he was aware that people were paying water user fees, but it was only for maintenance of the schemes, adding that it was the umbrella’s mandate to make sure the scheme is properly maintained.
Bujure however, denied accusations that authorities were not consulted.
He said the South Western Umbrella of Water held several meetings with locals, sub-county authorities’ representatives from the Diocese of Kigezi, the Rukiga Resident District Commissioner Prekeria Muhindo, and the District Woman Member of parliament Caroline Kamusiime Muhwezi among other leaders.
” Authorities in the District should understand that whatever we are doing is within the law and the interests of the government. So, since they are also part of the Government their responsibility as authorities is to comply with requirements of the law,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Rukiga District Chief Administrative Officer Eliab Ntarwete Begumya said it was true that takeover of some water schemes in the District by the Ministry of Water and Saanitation was legal.
However, he blamed the Southwestern Umbrella of water and sanitation for not holding enough consultative meetings with stakeholders and sensitizing the locals on the reasons for the takeover and what it means to the locals before embarking on billing the water.
