Hoima wildlife area communities get sh300m water harvesting project

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HOIMA - Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), in partnership with Hoima district local government, is set to implement a water harvesting project worth shillings 300 million in Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve and Kaiso Tonya Community Conservation area.

Raymond Kato, the Senior Warden of Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve, met with leaders and technical staff from Hoima district on Friday, October 3, 2025. During the meeting, he announced that a project funded by the World Bank, through the Investing in Forest and Protected Areas for Climate Smart Development Project (IFPAC), will focus on supporting communities surrounding conservation areas. As part of this initiative, local residents will receive water harvesting tanks.

He said the tanks will be given to people with water harvesting capacities. They will also target public institutions like churches, schools, health centres and other religious places.

This, according to Kato, is aimed at improving access to safe water and improving the quality of life of people who co-exist with the conservation areas.

“The project will help the communities around the reserve to get access to clean water because water has been a challenge for them,” Kato said.

He also called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to promote tourism and revenue enhancement from the conservation areas.

LC5 vice-chairperson Hellen Mulumba appreciated UWA for coming up with a water harvesting project, which is expected to help hundreds of local community members around the conservation area and provide safe and clean water.

She appealed to UWA to expand the project to other areas, especially in Waaki and Lunga, where access to water is still a big challenge.

“We appreciate UWA for coming up with the water project because it will help our people as a district. We didn’t have the resources to implement the project,” Mulumba said.

Hoima district assistant Resident District Commissioner Shafih Ntuuyo commended UWA for always engaging the district in its corporate responsibility activities aimed at improving the quality of life.

He said that tourism should be taken as a key priority because the government has earmarked it as a major factor in socio-economic transformation. 

He said the issue of poaching will be dealt with decisively by the government security agencies.