6 Moroto valley dams collapse

By Nathan Etengu Six valley dams constructed in Karamoja to provide water for livestock have collapsed barely one year after they were handed over to the district authorities. The Moroto and Kotido district council chairpersons complained to President Yoweri Museveni that the dams were poorly constructed. They also said the districts had failed to monitor the activities of the contractors since the tenders were awarded by the central government. The affected dams are Pooro, Lodoon, Locagar, Looro Longorikipi and Kailong. The Moroto district council chairman, Terence Achia, blamed Zzimwe Construction Company that worked on Lodoon dam. He said the work done was not consummate with the over sh600m spent on each dam. He said the spillway for all the dams constructed in his district had broken within the same year of construction. Kotido district council boss Gabriel Lotiang, said the poor dam construction would force the pastoralists to cross to neighbouring districts in search of water. Museveni said credible construction firms were scarred of working in Karamoja. “I do not think that Zzimwe construction company could construct a dam. It should have first been given to construct a pond before a dam,” Museveni said. He said Zzimwe was such a company that had “died” in Kampala.