Senior Reporter
The Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, has issued a stern warning, stating his intention to employ the Public Health Act to detain and prosecute heads of families who do not have latrines, aiming to boost latrine coverage in the district.
Nyakahuma made these remarks during the district’s belated World Water Day commemoration at Bugarama Primary School in Buhara Sub County. He emphasized his plan to empower parish chiefs to conduct operations targeting families without latrines and to enforce the Public Health Act.
Additionally, Nyakahuma praised the NRM government for its efforts in enhancing access to safe and clean water nationwide. He highlighted the significant improvement since 1986 when clean water access was only at 30%, crediting the government’s initiatives for the current progress in combating preventable diseases like dysentery.
According to Patience Aharinta, the District Water Officer, Kabale District boasts a 90% access rate to safe water, with 86% of water sources functioning well, surpassing the national averages of 65% and 67% respectively. To further improve water accessibility, the district is prioritizing the construction of water harvesting tanks, especially in hilly areas, and rehabilitating non-functional water sources.
Aharinta also noted that while latrine coverage in the district stands at 86%, handwashing practices are only at 26%. To address this, a competition was initiated among selected villages, with those in Buhara Sub County emerging as winners for achieving Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Miria Akankwasa Tugume, the Kabale District Vice Chairperson, representing the District Chairperson, Nelson Nshangangabasheija, commended the water department for spearheading the competition, which motivates villages to enhance sanitation and hygiene practices. Tugume stressed the importance of behavioral change to achieve an open defecation-free environment and combat diseases effectively.
Gordon Manzi, the Acting Kabale District Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, emphasized that sanitation and hygiene efforts must start at the household level, underscoring the critical role of safe water practices in preventing diseases like diarrheal diseases.
