Bigirimana wants gov't to solve Kisoro water problem

Dec 10, 2016

Bigirimana said Government should establish means of pumping water from the existing water bodies in the district to the communities for home use.

The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development Permanent Secretary, Pius Bigirimana has appealed to the Government to come up with a long term solution to the water shortage problem facing Kisoro District.

Bigirimana said Government should establish means of pumping water from the existing water bodies in the district to the communities for home use.

Speaking during the launch of fundraising dinner aimed at protecting Jinya spring in Kisoro district th at  Nommo Gallery in Kampala on Friday evening , Bigirimana said: "It's absurd that the district is endowed with different water bodies like Lake Mutanda, Mulehe, and Kayumbu among others but many sub-counties in the district are hit by water shortage.

Jinya spring located in Kisoro about 2 kilometers from Democratic Republic of Congo border is the sole source of water for about 30,000 populations of the sub-counties of Muramba and Nyarusiza in Bufumbira South constituency.

According to Elisha Nsabiyera, one of the area residents, the spring has been there for over 30 years, unfortunately none of the leaders in the district had come up to mobilize for its protection.

The event chief Guest Uganda's Attorney General William Byaruhanga applauded Kisoro people for mobilizing themselves to fight water shortage. "Service to the less fortunate is the reason we are here," he stated.

Byaruhanga contributed sh5m whereas Bank of Uganda through its governor Emmanuel Mutebile contributed sh15m.

The fundraising organized by the Bufumbira South legislator Sam Bitangaro attracted great numbers of the Kampala based Kisoro prominent personalities in different sectors like business, education, and politics among others.

The protection of the spring needs over sh100m and dinner raised sh57m both cash and pledges.

Different companies such as  Leading Distillers limited, Jasan Foundation SNAR Developments Uganda Limited contributed large sums of money towards the construction.

Bitangaro said people in sub-counties of Muramba and Nyarusiza have for a long period of time failed to have clean water and some could walk upto 8 kilometers to Chuho spring, the main water spring in Kisoro district.

"We thought with protecting the spring, we can provide clean water to communities," said Bitangaro.

The Jinya water spring maintenance will be monitored by Kisoro Foundation for Rural Development (KFRD), a local NGO in the area.

The organisation director Innocent Ndagijimana said KFRD was optimistic that the initiative will register success.

According to the Kisoro District assistant water officer Celestine Bwambale, Kisoro is at 44.4% water coverage with most water hit sub-counties being Muramba, Nyarusiza, Chahi, Nyundo, Mulora and part of Nyakinama sub-county.
 
 

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