NWSC | GOLDEN JUBILEE | MUSEVENI

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will next month unveil flagship water projects to climax the main celebrations for the National Water and Sewerage Corporation's (NWSC) 50 years of serving millions of Ugandans.

Speaking during a media briefing at their NWSC International Resource Center offices, IREC in Bugolobi, the Board Chairman, Dr. Eng. Badru Kiggundu noted that there are notable achievements that should be celebrated by all Ugandans and the president has accepted to grace the event slated for December 2nd at the Kololo Independence Grounds.

“Fifty years indeed show the milestones we have achieved." First is the survival of NWSC during the economically turbulent times of the 1970s and 1980s. We have also registered an increase in the number of towns served by the corporation from just 3 to 263 and extended piped water from 200,000 to over 18 million. These are some of the achievements I can mention for now."

The board chairman attributed the milestones to the series of internal reforms, focusing on the areas of infrastructure rehabilitation and development, information technology, staff capacity building, and training, among others.

“This day is big for us as a corporation. We expect the president to perform a grand pass out of NWSC staff that have undergone patriotism, mindset change, Pan-Africanism, and utility management, which was carried out jointly by NWSC and the Uganda People’s Defense Forces, UPDF.”

According to NWSC managing director Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, the corporation is now looking at being self-sustaining and more responsive.

“Surely these 50 years have been a journey, and as a corporation, we are now looking at how efficiently we can address the concerns of our customers. We also want to grow our infrastructure from the current of about 4 trillion shillings to over 6 trillion in 5 years. This is possible and we shall do it by connecting more Ugandans in urban centers, matching the latest technologies, and, of course, ensuring a well-capacitated staff. "

Meanwhile, the president has approved a loan facility of 45 million euros, which, according to the managing director, will go a long way in completing key projects aimed at improving water service to Ugandans.

“We had a challenge with funding for major projects, but last week the president approved a loan facility of 45 million euros." This is to handle projects like the Bushenyi water improvement project, among others. Currently, we have completed several projects, among them, Katosi, Kapeeka, Sembabule, Kapchorwa, Lira, and Fort Portal, among others. All these are water improvement projects." Mugisha said.

Although a series of celebrations had been lined up the building to the main celebrations, they have been limited due to the outbreak of Ebola and the covid restrictions issued by the Ministry of Health.