Rubanda Water Crisis: Shs750m Revives Long-Abandoned Nyakasazi Project

RUBANDA — Residents of Nyamweru Sub-county in Rubanda East have praised Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson Ampeire Stephen Kasyaba and Finance Minister Hon. Henry Musasizi for their efforts to revive the long-stalled Nyakasazi Water Project.

The water project, which is being implemented by Bakaruhire and Company Ltd, is expected to address persistent water shortages by supplying clean water to all parishes in Nyamweru Sub-county and some villages in neighbouring Hamurwa Sub-county.

The project is currently under construction, with works including the development of a 60,000-litre water tank, installation of water pipes and work on the water source.

Speaking during a monitoring visit on Thursday, August 20, Kasyaba and Nyamweru Sub-county LC3 Chairperson David Karindugu joined residents, including Phionah Ayebare and Daud Turyatemba, to assess the progress of the project.

Residents said they had previously lost hope in the project after several contractors abandoned the works. However, they said the arrival of Bakaruhire and Company Ltd had renewed their confidence, pointing to the visible water pipes and ongoing construction of the 60,000-litre tank as signs of progress.

The residents said the lack of a reliable water supply had forced them to fetch stagnant water from down the mountains, while children were sometimes forced to miss school to search for water.

Karindugu said one of the challenges with the previous implementation of the project was the shallow installation of water pipes, which made them vulnerable to damage by farmers during agricultural activities.

He said the new pipes are being buried approximately three metres underground to protect them from accidental damage.

Karindugu also alleged that the project had previously been politicised, with some individuals deliberately cutting water pipes.

He commended Musasizi and Kasyaba for their efforts to revive the Nyakasazi Water Project, which had stalled after previous contractors failed to complete the work.

Kasyaba said the project had become problematic because previous contractors abandoned the works, leaving residents without the expected water services.

He said Bakaruhire and Company Ltd is the third contractor to take on the project and that Minister Musasizi secured Shs750 million from the World Bank to facilitate its revival.

Kasyaba said the district leadership had started taking action against contractors who fail to deliver, as part of efforts to ensure that government projects are completed on time and to the required standards.

He noted that the previous contractor had made limited progress, with few workers on site and no visible water pipes in place.

Kasyaba said the ongoing water projects in the district are also part of efforts to implement President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to increase access to water for both domestic use and irrigation.

Once completed, the Nyakasazi Water Project is expected to provide residents of Nyamweru and parts of Hamurwa with improved access to clean and reliable water, easing the burden currently faced by households that rely on distant and unsafe water sources.