Vandalism undermining Uganda's water expansion agenda – NWSC MD

_________________

"Vandalism of critical water infrastructure is threatening Uganda’s progress toward universal access to safe water," Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), has said.

Mugisha was speaking at the NWSC annual performance evaluation and stakeholders’ engagement workshop on Friday, April 17, 2026, at the corporation’s headquarters in Bugolobi, Kampala.

The workshop attracted district LC5 bosses, resident district commissioners, and city and municipal mayors.

Mugisha said deliberate destruction of pipelines and installations is increasingly affecting service delivery and raising operational costs.

He cited recent cases, including vandalism along the Karuma–Gulu pipeline and damage to infrastructure supplying Kaberamaido, as well as repeated incidents within Kampala.

The NWSC is implementing an ambitious plan to expand water coverage by 2030, targeting an increase in connections from one million to 1.25 million.

Mugisha said this would raise the number of people served from 22 million to 26 million nationwide. The plan requires about sh8.2 trillion, expected to be mobilised through government support, development partners, and internal financing.

Mugisha acknowledged government support, noting that many funds extended as loans are converted into grants, helping to keep water tariffs affordable for Ugandans.

However, he stressed that vandalism, alongside illegal water connections, is undermining these efforts. Some individuals bypass official systems to access water, denying the utility much-needed revenue.

Mugisha pointed to technical challenges, including meter inaccuracies that fail to capture low water flows, especially at night. Ongoing research aims to quantify these losses and inform policy reforms.

Mugisha called for stronger collaboration with local leaders and communities to protect infrastructure and sustain progress.

Gilbert Rubaihayo, the LC5 chairman of Kyenjojo district, said that working together as a team is the way to go, insisting that a strong punishment should be meted out to those caught vandalising.

Stephen Mugeni Wasike, the LC5 of Busia district, said the vandals, once arrested, should not be taken to court but rather be presented to village courts.

Mugisha welcomed the suggestion, saying that it could work since cooperation has been battling with lawbreakers who, at times, go unpunished.