Uganda’s  is set to take over the construction of the stalled Kahengye water project. This is after the corporation’s managing director Dr Silver Mugisha raised concerns about the delayed completion of a multi-billion shilling gravity water flow project.

According to the MD, he has agreed with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of water to give NWSC a letter, which authorises it to take over the US $12m project and complete it in time.

The Kahengye water project located in Rukungiri district was commissioned by president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in July 2016 and awarded to an Indian company, Technofab Engineering Ltd. The project was scheduled for completion within a year from the commissioning date.

Five years down the line, the project has never been completed sparking frustration. “I am completely disappointed that the project that is supposed to provide water to the people of Rukungiri has delayed to this extent,” said Dr Mugisha.

Providing safe water in Rukungiri district 

The water project was co-funded by the World Bank and the government to provide safe water in the sub-counties of Kebisoni, Buyanja, Rukungiri municipality, Bugangari and Nyakagyeme all in Rukungiri district and some parts of Ntungamo district.

According to NWSC, the project is expected to produce 9.6 million litres of water daily to solve the water problem in Rukungiri district. Currently, only 600,000 litters of water is produced daily out of the required 3 million litres; a situation that leaves many families in Rukungiri without the precious commodity.