Kibuule commissions tap without water

PIC: Minister Kibuule gestures after discovering there was no water in the taps

In a rare turn of events, state minister for water had been invited to commission a water project worth sh13.5b.

He made good of his promise and came for the function. However, as fate would have it, the taps were dry. And according to residents, they had been dry for some time

A furious Kibuule said he would not commission, nor leave the scene until there was water. This was in Gomba-Kyabadaza in Butambala district.

"I won't leave this place without seeing water flowing. Why do you waste my time to come here?" Kibuule asked. "I can't leave this place without water," the minister insisted.

 Muwanga Kivumbi (second right) talking to Kibuule (fourth right) at the function. Picture by Noah Jaggwe

Well, he went ahead and commissioned the dry taps, promising that Government would repair the facility and other boreholes.

He announced the government will introduce solar powered irrigation schemes in the area to boost agriculture.

"This is our plan for development, grow crops that bring money, grow less for domestic consumption grow more for commercial purpose," Kibuule said. He also promised to introduce valley dams in the same area, but advised communities interested in machines that drill the dams to find resources for fueling the machines.

 Residents said they had not had water for some time

The minister was flanked by area Member of Parliament, Muhamed Muwanga Kivumbi, who said the water has been off for the last five days. Some residents said they had spent over three months without water.

The water project was constructed by Zhongmei supervised by Studio gal.

LC5 Chairperson Butambala District Mafumu Kyeswa said the area still faces a challenge of flow of water, saying it sometimes disappears. He said some areas of Ntolomwe, Kasaka and many others don't receive water at all.