Uganda shifts water strategy to households as ministry says rural coverage surpasses 80%
Permanent secretary Alfred Okidi says the country has made significant progress in expanding water services across rural communities, with more than 80% of villages now having access to clean water sources.
Delegates pose for a photo with Alfred Okot Okidi (3rd right), the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water and Environment, during the budget planning event in Kampala on Friday, March 6, 2026. (Photos by Bridget Ahurira)
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Uganda’s water ministry has announced a shift in its water access strategy, moving from village-level coverage to ensuring that individual households can access safe water without travelling long distances.
Permanent secretary Alfred Okidi says the country has made significant progress in expanding water services across rural communities, with more than 80% of villages now having access to clean water sources.
“We have covered the country as of now, more than 80% of the villages do have water. Our focus is going to make sure that now we focus on households, because people should not be moving long distances to get to this very essential human right, which is water,” Okidi said.
Okidi made remarks on March 6, 2026, at Silver Springs Hotel, Bugolobi in Kampala, when the ministry was carrying out a budget workshop for the financial year 2026/27. The workshop attracted all commissioners and their financial departments to discuss the way forward.
The new approach comes amid growing attention to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and its impact on public health, particularly in rural and underserved communities. He said that bringing water closer to homes will help improve hygiene practices, reduce disease outbreaks, and ease the burden on women and children who often walk long distances to fetch water.
Okidi noted that the ministry’s next phase will involve stronger partnerships with different stakeholders to make household-level water access a reality.
“Our focus is shifting; we are not only going to look at villages now, but we also want to look at households. That is where the drive is, and we are going to work with institutions, the private sector, cultural and religious institutions, and other development partners to make sure this becomes a reality,” he said.
Alfred Okot Okidi , the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water and Environment at the event in Kampala on Friday, March 06, 2026.
Accordingly, the strategy will accelerate progress toward universal water access while strengthening the country’s WASH systems and improving overall community health.
Extend water to Wakiso residents
He challenged the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to extend water to all communities of Wakiso district. He noted that Wakiso is one of the districts in Kampala metropolitan, yet it remains hit by water scarcity.
For instance, some of the people who spoke to Newvision from Wakiso say they walk long distances to fetch water, which is not even clean. Some say they share the same water as animals, which could lead them to infections.
Herbart Kimbugwe, a resident of Kanyogoga in Nabweru sub-county, Wakiso district, last saw water from his tap two weeks ago. Like many others, he has turned to rainwater harvesting, but it is a luxury that does not last.
“Right now, a jerrycan costs shillings 500, and that is unaffordable for many families. Some people have no option but to collect water from open wells, which are unsafe and far,” he says.
He said the distance becomes risky, especially for those returning from work late.
“We fear thieves. Some people have tried to dig their own wells closer to home, but it’s costly and hard to keep clean,” he said.
Kimbugwe noted that the result is worrying due to increased use of dirty, potentially disease-ridden water. Hygiene is being sacrificed, children go to school without bathing, and the threat of waterborne illnesses looms large.