Leaders protest launch of Kagadi water project over shoddy works

The partial commissioning of the water project has drawn mixed reaction from district leaders who said they expected the contractor to first complete the works before handing over.

The district lawmakers led by Mr Barnabas Tinkasiimire and Ms Jennifer Mbabazi Kyomuhendo said both the ministry and contractor rushed to commission the project when most villages had not been connected.

‘‘I cannot be part of the water project which has taken four years instead of two with shoddy work. We lobbied Shs22.8 billion from African Development (ADB) to extend piped water to four town councils in the district,” Mr Tinkasiimire said.

“To our surprise, we were invited for partial commissioning and technical handover of the water project that is not complete,’’ he added.

Mr Tinkasiimire said several villages, including Nyamacumu, Kabuga, Butumba, Nyabigata, Nyambeho, Mambugu, Muhorro, Busoiga, Kyakazana, and Kyanyamunyu have been left out.

He said residents have continued to walk for long distances to fetch water and in some places locals share sources with animals.

Ms Kyomuhendo said they have started compiling evidence of dilapidated and vandalised water pipes, taps and boreholes to present them on the floor of Parliament for follow up.

She said according to the bill of quantities, the water project was meant to benefit more than 130 villages and a population of over 150,000 people in the district.

‘‘As MPs, we have distanced ourselves from the commissioning and technical handover of the uncompleted water project, we want the contractor be investigated because some parts in Ruteete, Muhoro, Kyenzige and Kagadi town councils are not connected with water,” she said.

Ms Goreti Nyamaizi, a resident of Nyamiti Village, said they fetch water once  in a week from the taps.

‘‘The water on our tap is not stable. We paid Shs100, 000 as user fee to be connected which was much compared to our income. It is also unfortunate that some taps have been vandalised. They need to be repaired and we do not have money to hire water technicians to do repairs,’’ Ms Nyamaizi said.

Ms Judith Mbabazi, another resident said: “I do not understand why rushed to commission this water project yet many villages are not connected, people are still drinking dirty water, I doubt if they will come to connect other villages.”

The assistant commissioner urban Water Supply and Sewerage Department, Mr Richard Matua, said Kagadi was to oversee the technical handover of the Samcrete contracting company to Mid-western Umbrella water and sanitation not fully officiate the commissioning of completed piped water project.

“The contractor who was awarded the contract in December 2018 was supposed to be completed in 2020 but due to Covid-19, they were  given two more years and their work is complete. The remaining works will be completed by Mid-western umbrella water and sanitation. I have asked residents and politicians to be calm.  The works will be completed within one year,’’ he said.

Pledge to fix works

The project manager of Mid-western umbrella water and sanitation, Mr Gilbert Byamugisha, said they would rectify all the defaults. “We shall rectify anomalies left behind by the contractor and keep maintenance of water sources. We expect the official commissioning of the Kagadi piped water supply system after one year. We have not commissioned the project, it was just a technical handover of the project to another company under our management. We expect to cover over 130 villages with a total population of 150,000 people,’’ he said.