Why people celebrate a toilet donation

By Vicky Wandawa

They prefer the fresh wilderness to the foul-smelling pit latrines. So, off they go to the wilderness when they need to answer nature’s call. Lack of knowledge and superstition against using latrines is among the reasons people defecate anywhere.

According to the Uganda Demographic Health Survey, the most common type of toilet is the pit latrine, with 62% of the households using them.

Recently, people in Iganga celebrated when donors from the UK built them a toilet, causing embarrassment and criticism from some members of society. However, toilets are a big deal. 10% of the households, mainly in rural areas do not have any.

A 2011/12 report from the data collected by the Ministry of Water and Environment reveals that in some rural areas, latrine coverage falls below 10%.

For example, in Moroto district, only 7% of the homesteads have pit latrines, while Kaabong is only one percent higher, despite the existence of the Public Health Act. The Act requires every homestead to have a pit latrine and failure to have one is an offence. Napak and Kotido closely follow at 10% and 12%, respectively.

LEADERS EXPLAIN

Stella Nyomera, the Napak district Woman Member of Parliament, notes that traditional beliefs are partly to blame for poor latrine coverage. “Some people believe it is a taboo to use one, especially when they are visiting in-laws. Also, it is unheard of for children to share latrines with older people,” says Nyomera. She adds that expectant mothers are warned of failure to give birth if they use pit latrines. As a result, there are rampant cases of diarrhoea due to poor disposal of faeces.

Nonetheless, because bushes are slowly dwindling, the 10% coverage is partly because the locals have no choice, but to build temporary latrines, using local materials, such as logs and grass. To encourage construction of more pit latrines, people have been sensitised.
 

Nyomera says to access some government programmes, people are asked for proof of ownership of latrines. “For example, when it comes to access to grants given to groups, each member is required to have a pit latrine at their home. Even at the parish level, when it comes to benefi ting from grants, the same is suggested,” says Nyomera. She adds that men think digging a pit latrine is hard work, hence they leave it for the women who already have a big workload.

Margaret Aleper, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kotido District, also blames culture for the poor latrine coverage. In her district, the coverage stands at 12%. She is, however, elated by the percentage, saying it is a leap from the previous 7%.

Aleper says the residents take advantage of the considerable amount of bush to answer nature’s call. She also says residents are not economically empowered to build pit latrines. Nonetheless, in the last few years, Red Cross has constructed model latrines for some residents of Kachere sub-county.

The low coverage, she adds, has led to widespread diarrhoea and cholera. She notes, however, that during village meetings, they always encourage residents to construct latrines. She believes the ministry of water and environment has a component of sanitation and should build latrines for the residents by cost-sharing.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH SPEAKS OUT

Dr. Jackson Amone, the ministry’s assistant commissioner in charge of integrated curative services, says there is need to sensitise communities about the advantages of proper disposal of faecal waste. Amone implores local leaders to ensure their communities have toilets. “It can be implemented by drafting and enforcing by-laws regarding waste disposal.

Under the decentralisation policy, every local government is supposed to make its own sanitation ordinances and by-laws. These should be approved by the council and checked by the Solicitor General to ensure consistency with other laws.

KARIMOJONG SAY LATRINES STINK - MOROTO MP

Simon Peter Aleper, the Moroto Municipality MP, whose district stands lowest at 7%, says besides the belief that the young, the old and in-laws cannot share latrines, the Karimojong frown upon people who have toilets. “How can you live with faeces in the house?” they wonder. They also say latrines smell and they prefer the wilderness, with fresh air.

“UNICEF constructed a few pit latrines and they were perturbed at the waste, saying the latrines could be used for accommodation instead,” says Aleper. He also says the people in his area are poor and cannot afford to contruct latrines, whose cost sometimes goes up to sh7m (for a ventilated improved pit latrine). He adds that due to the poor latrine coverage, a year ago, there was an outbreak of cholera.  Nonetheless, the district leadership is advocating pit latrines through sensitisation, alongside stringent rules.

“All landlords have been given until next month to put up latrines or toilets, failure of which the buildings will be closed and tenants asked to  vacate,” Aleper says. He adds that with support from donors, they are putting up communal latrines, where two to three homes will share a ventilated improved pit latrine.