NELSON K
Residents of Kyabahanga Parish in Bwambara Subcounty, Kanungu District, have raised fresh concerns over persistent water scarcity, forcing them to trek long distances in search of clean water. Many say they walk between one and two kilometers daily to fetch water from Ntungwa, the nearest clean water source.
Speaking to Boona Radio, Mr. Mubangizi Barnabas, one of the area residents, expressed frustration over the high costs and inconvenience involved. He noted that residents often pay between UGX 1,000 to 1,500 for a single jerrycan of water. Mubangizi added that despite repeated appeals to leaders and the government to extend clean water services—especially to public and worship centers—nothing tangible has been done.
“We have continued voting leaders hoping for better service delivery, but the situation has not changed. We ask Hon. Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi Katugugu to intervene and help us access clean water like other neighboring areas of Kanungu,” Mubangizi pleaded.
Mrs. Niwakora Specioza, the Kyabahanga Woman Councillor and NRM flag bearer, also voiced concern, describing the water shortage as a longstanding crisis. She said residents are sometimes forced to hire people to fetch water from distant sources—an expensive and time-consuming process.
“Technical leaders have failed us. The government has always been ready to deliver services, but there’s a big gap in implementation,” she said.
In response, Mr. Ntungura Gideon, the Bwambara Subcounty District Councillor, acknowledged that Kyabahanga Parish is one of the most water-stressed areas in Rujumbura County. He, however, gave residents hope that the Umbrella Company Water Project, which oversees clean water extension in the region, is likely to expand to Kyabahanga before the end of the current financial year.
Mr. Ntungura further revealed that under President Yoweri Museveni’s pledge, the Bugangari–Bwambara Water Project will soon be implemented, channeling water from Kabale in Nyakagyeme Subcounty to serve both Bwambara and Bugangari areas.
Residents now wait anxiously for these promises to materialize, hoping that years of walking long distances for clean water will soon come to an end.
