Karamoja water, environment week launched

Mar 13, 2019

The regional event held at Boma grounds in Moroto brought together development partners and district leaders within the district under the theme, “Access to safe water and sanitation in a clean environment is my responsibility.”

MOROTO-The Ministry of Water and Environment has launched the Karamoja Regional Water, Sanitation and Environment Week with a call to the communities to embrace sanitation, hygiene and preserve the environment.

The regional event held at Boma grounds in Moroto brought together development partners and district leaders within the district under the theme, "Access to safe water and sanitation in a clean environment is my responsibility."

Speaking on Wednesday during the week's activities that basically involved cleaning Moroto town, the chief cleaner who is also the Bishop of Church of Uganda, Karamoja diocese, Joseph Abura emphasised the value of water and environment.

He advised the communities living on the slopes of Mt. Moroto to desist from the destruction of water catchment areas.

 takeholders load garbage onto oroto unicipality truck during the launch of aramoja water week Stakeholders load garbage onto Moroto Municipality truck during the launch of Karamoja water week. (Photo by Olandason Wanyama)

 

"It is sad that most of us have resorted to demolishing the only catchment of the town," Abura noted saying in the next decade there could be severe shortage of water.

He added that the town is developing at a faster rate, and with the growing population there could be a chronic scarcity of water if the matter is not properly addressed.

Abura appealed to the communities residing in the water catchment to halt destructive human activities so as to preserve the key areas.

The District Chairperson Moroto, Andrew Keem Napaja advised the residents in Moroto municipality to find means of regulating the use of polythene bags.

He said the bags were an environmental menace in the district.

"I want us to reduce the use of polythene material so as to ensure the town and our homes are clean," Napaja noted.

He added that a by-law to criminalise those without latrines was in the offing to halt open defecation.

Napaja commended the water ministry and development partners for various interventions in promoting the safe water sector.

Eng. Wilfred Okello, an official with the directorate of water development said having water for all was a good initiative.

"I am happy to announce that access to safe water in Karamoja is far ahead compared to the national standard," he said.

Okello noted that water access in Karamoja stood at 74 percent compared to 70 nationally.

"For Karamoja access to safe water is far better than the national," he stressed.

On sanitation, Okello said Karamoja remains with a huge challenge to improve standards saying on the national scene, sanitation stands at 76 percent with Karamoja at 36.

He however, encouraged the consumers to ensure they use water sparingly to avert shortages.

"With increasing insufficiency, we must uphold the various values attached to water back home," Okello observed.  

He appealed to the communities in Karamoja to improve on hygiene matters and similarly conserve the environment by revaluing water.

The deputy resident district commissioner Moroto, Proscovia Acham advised shop owners and hawkers to find means of getting an alternative to polythene packing material saying villages were awash with plastics and polythene bags.

She urged local leaders to use minimal force to prevail on the sale and distribution of the black and transparent bags specifically for domestic use.

The Karamoja regional water, sanitation and environmental weeks runs from 11th to 16th March, 2019. And it will be celebrated in all the eight districts of Moroto, Napak, Amudat and Moroto.  Others are, Kotido, Kaabong, Abim and Nabilatuk districts,

The week aims at showcasing the interventions by the ministry and its development partners. During the week there will be cleaning of urban centres, field inspections of water sources and community mobilisation. 

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