The government has revealed plans to extend piped water to several villages in Katakwi district in Teso and Karamoja sub-regions.
According to officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment, the water will be sourced from Lake Bisina and Opeta, located on the Teso/Karamoja border.
Jessica Alupo, the Vice President of Uganda and Katakwi District Woman Member of Parliament, has tasked the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to implement this project quickly, considering the abundance of water bodies in the region.
“We have Lake Bisina and Lake Opeta; why can’t those who can afford be supplied with piped water? Katakwi is not short of water bodies,” said Alupo.
She emphasized that some people can afford to extend piped water to their homesteads.
“Not all of us are poor; some people can connect the water and pay,” she added.
Alupo mentioned that the available lakes should be used to extend water to Katakwi, Napak, Nakapiripirit, and probably Kapelebyong districts.
“Once enough water is available at the border, security will be enhanced to protect the people of Katakwi against the Karamojong cattle rustlers,” said Alupo.
Jimmy Biyomotho, the principal engineer and regional manager for Teso and Karamoja under the Rural Water and Sanitation Department in the Ministry of Water and Environment, stated that this project is called the Lake Bisina Integrated Water Supply Project.
Biyomotho highlighted that this project would help address the problem of cattle rustling linked to Karamojong herdsmen.
“It’s alleged that in the dry season, Karamojong move into Teso in search of water for their animals but instead end up stealing cattle,” he explained.
He mentioned that the ministry has already allocated UGX 200 million for the pre-feasibility study and other related documentation in the 2024/2025 financial year.
This information was disclosed during the Vice President’s visit to Katakwi district on Thursday, 7th December 2023.
The Vice President also took the opportunity to commend Eseza Lydia Apio, the water officer for Katakwi, for her dedication and hard work.
Recently, Apio disclosed that the district currently has 568 boreholes, putting their water coverage at 75.8 percent.
Joseph Andrew Koluo, MP for Toroma County, expressed his gratitude, stating that the water project would help people access safe water for drinking and production of more crops through irrigation farming.
“As MPs in Katakwi, we shall lobby Parliament to ensure that the government funds the extension of piped water to the local people in the villages,” said Koluo.
Note: Some information, like the access rates in Katakwi, has been retained for context but is not marked as an error correction.
