Uganda: Density of Households Without Improved Sanitation Facilities, 2002 | World Resources Institute

Uganda: Density of Households Without Improved Sanitation Facilities, 2002 | World Resources Institute

Uganda: Nation gets sh470 billion for water, energy

 

Posted on October 21, 2010 by westerhof| Leave a comment

Uganda and Germany have signed a bilateral financing agreement worth over sh470b to support the promotion of renewable energy, energy efficiency, water and sanitation provision as well as easing access to rural finance.

The signing marked the conclusion of negotiations held in May between representatives of the two governments.

The ceremony took place yesterday at the finance ministry's boardroom between the Finance Minister, Syda Bbumba, German envoy to Uganda Klaus Dieter Duxmann and Nobert Kloppenburg, the board manager of KfW, the German development bank.

Bbumba said the funds will contribute to the provision of safe water in the country, where currently 66% of Ugandans have access to safe water in rural and urban areas.

Part of the money will be used to support the financial sector as well as ensuring efficient use of government resources for better service delivery.

Duxmann said the basis of German relations with Uganda lies in the respect for democratic institutions, human rights, rule of law, as well as promotion of peace and stability in the region.

He commended the Government for making progress in development and achieving the targets outlined in the recently-launched National Development Plan.

On corruption, he said there is need for the Government to speed up the follow up of corruption cases as noted in the Auditor General's report and the report of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism.

He disclosed that Germany will support the office of the Prime Minister in implementing the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for northern Uganda and set up a programme to strengthen human rights in Uganda.

Source: Raymond Baguma, New Vision /allAfrica.com, 18 October 2010

Uganda: Mbarara Residents to Face Eviction Over Encroachment Fred Turyakira

14 October 2010

Kampala — THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation have vowed to evict residents in Mbarara town who encroach on wetlands and sewage ponds.

Over 20 homes in Kijungu and Kisenyi in Mbarara town face eviction.

"The Public Health and NEMA Act says the public should not go beyond the buffer zone of 30 feet from the lagoons, but they have destroyed the greenbelt and gone beyond the buffer zone," said Jeoconius Musingwire, the south-western region environment officer.

He was addressing on Monday told journalists in his office at Kamukuzi in Mbarara district.

The encroachers also risk acquiring diseases from inhaling the smelly air from the lagoons.

Musingwire added that some people take contaminated water from the sewage ponds, which can transmit diseases.

He blamed the Mbarara authorities for failing to enforce the law barring construction in wetlands and near sewage ponds.

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Musingwire also warned encroachers into Ndeija, Keiho, Rwemigina, Kashari wetlands who were degrading the streams connecting to River Rwizi in Mbarara district.

When David Opoka, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation general manager for Mbarara region, was contacted over the encroachment, he said they would evict the encroachers.

"They will face the law. Our lagoons have been there for over 40 years. We cannot see why houses constructed in four years should displace us from our property," he said.

Opoka also warned of action against people who cut the chain-link fence at Kijungu sewage pond and created walkways through the protected area.

Stratus Mushabe, the Mbarara municipality town clerk, said they would work with NEMA to evict the encroachers.

Uganda: Over 50,000 lack toilets in Mbale

Posted on October 8, 2010 by westerhof| Leave a comment

Over 50,000 people residing in slums in Mbale Municipality do not have access to pit-latrines. Mbale Municipality has a population of about 86,000 people, while the district has over 400,000 people.

Richard Wandoba, the officer in charge of health and hygiene in the National Slum Dwellers Federation of Uganda Mbale region (NSDF), told New Vision that a study carried out by the federation had indicated that only 25% of the residents have access to makeshift pit-latrines.

The report showed that the most affected areas are Mission Cell, Nkoma, Kiteso, Kampala road in Nkoma and Kichafu. Others are Mooni, Kikamba, Nabuyo, Shaba, Maluku, Nailoni, Doko, Half London, Muvule Cell, Nyanza, and BCU quarters.

Wandoba said the survey revealed that an average household in the slums consists of between five to 15 people, residing in dilapidated mud shelters. He explained that the families living in these areas do not have enough space, adding that women cook near stinking roofless pit-latrines, exposing them to the risk of contracting various diseases. Traders have set up food kiosks near the polluted streams.

He said the population in the slums is rising yet the only economic activity carried out is brewing malwa, adding that revellers use dark corners in the slums to dispose of waste, while others use plastic bags. Residents with makeshift toilets, Wandoba said, have polluted the water bodies by channelling waste from the toilets into them.

He noted that the federation had initiated awareness campaigns through the health and hygiene committee to sensitise the residents on the dangers of poor waste management.

Wandoba said they had received sh40m through the Slum Dwellers International Association to construct pit-latrines in each division.

He said they were waiting for Mbale municipal council to approve the land where the pit-latrines will be constructed.

"We shall start building as soon as land is available. When works are completed, residents will have to pay sh100 that will be used to pay cleaners," said Wandoba.

Source: Paul Watala, New Vision /allAfrica.com, 7 October 2010

Uganda: African leaders told to improve sanitation, provide clean water

Posted on July 20, 2010 by westerhof| 1 Comment

African leaders have been urged to address issues relating to sanitation and water as one of the major components in reducing maternal and infant mortality in the continent.

Yunia Musaazi, the East African policy advisor for Water Aid, said for African countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it was important to prevent deaths resulting from diarrhoea, which is the biggest killer of children in Africa.

"Everyday, 2,000 African children die from diarrhoea. These deaths are preventable by providing safe water and maintaining sanitation," Musaazi said.

She was speaking as one of the panelists drawn from civil society organisations across Africa to demand better health services from leaders ahead of the African Heads of State summit scheduled for July 25 to 27.

The theme of this year's summit is how to make rapid progress in addressing the MDGs that deal with the survival of mothers, infants and children.

Musaazi explained that with good sanitation and safe water, the lives of mothers and their children could significantly be addressed, thereby reducing the number of deaths from unsafe water and poor sanitation.

"An expectant mother needs to deliver from a clean environment. Even after leaving the health centre, she needs to live in a clean environment with clean water for her and the newborn baby," Musaazi said.

She said a recent study by the World Health Organisation estimates that 28% of child deaths were caused by poor sanitation and lack of access to clean water.

"Sanitation and safe water could prevent nine out of 10 cases of diarrhoea. Using toilets can reduce incidences of diarrhoea by nearly 40%.

Safe sanitation also reduces other leading causes of child deaths, such as under-nutrition and pneumonia," Musaazi said.

Solome Kimbugwe Nakaweesi, the executive director of Akina Mama Wa Africa, asked African leaders to honour their commitment of allocating 15% of their national budgets to the health sector as agreed in the Abuja declaration.

Nakaweesi said there were many African countries, including Uganda, that had not implemented the Abuja declaration.

She said Uganda was among the African countries that were failing to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

Source: Charles Ariko, New Vision / allAfrica.com, 18 July 2010

Uganda: NWSC disconnects Kyambogo water over illegal connections

Posted on October 1, 2010 by westerhof| Leave a comment

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation yesterday turned off water supply to Kyambogo University after it found some university facilities consuming water illegally.

The lunch time operation which took university officials unaware, was the official launch of "Operation Wet Storm," a campaign which the water and sewerage regulatory authority has started, to stop illegal use of water supplied by the corporation.

While launching the operation at the NWSC training centre in Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb, the Managing Director, Dr William Muhairwe, warned consumers who are illegally connected to the network that after a two-week amnesty for them to regularise their status with the water authority, it will be the courts of law to determine their fate.

He said a water theft desk has been opened at Central Police Station to handle the vice. He warned the staff who have been abetting the vice of dire consequences if they do not take advantage of the amnesty period to report all the connections they have made illegally.

At Kyambogo University, the NWSC uncovered four illegal connections made to Pearl Hostel, the Main Library and lecturers quarters along the pipe serving the Uganda National Institute for Special Education.

According to Mr Yann Jondeau, who headed the operation, the illegal connections seem to have been done several years ago.

Water authorities said Kyambogo University has been paying a monthly bill of between Shs15 million and Shs25 million. According to Mr Muhairwe, the water authority loses an estimated Shs2 billion every month due to illegal connections.

When contacted for a comment, the university estates manager, Mr Ambrose Areija, who said he assumed the office four months ago, denied knowledge of the illegal connections.

"I do not know that there are illegal water connections here. If they are there, then they could have been done behind my back but I have not sanctioned any illegal connection."

Source: Stephen Otage and Tabitha Wambui, The Monitor / allAfrica.com,         1 October 2010

Uganda: Lifebuoy to hold health seminar

Posted on October 5, 2010 by westerhof| Leave a comment After the re-launch of Lifebuoy, Unilever Uganda has rolled out a hand washing campaign as a way of transforming behavioral practices when it comes to hygiene and sanitation.

This started with a health symposium in Kampala under the theme "Hand washing with soap for healthier living". Hand-washing with soap is the single, most cost-effective health intervention to secure the family's health according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). The symposium took place on Friday, October 1, 2010 at Golf Course Hotel. The meet is meant to prepare us for the Global Hand washing Day due to take place on October 15.

Key speakers at the symposium included experts in health specifically hand washing from the Ministry of Health, Head teachers and World Bank officials.

"This health event is meant to raise awareness about proper had washing practices which over time have been ignored and taken for granted. Our objective is to reduce the number of children dying from common preventable diseases, which could be reduced by simple every day steps of washing our hands effectively," said Unilever Uganda Country Customer Manager, George Inholo.

Data from the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Programme indicate that hand-washing with soap can reduce diarrhoea incidence by up to 45% and acute respiratory infections by 30%. According to the World Health Organisation, diarrhoea and respiratory infections are responsible for two out of every three deaths in children globally. Mr. Inholo added that, "Lifebuoys' ambition is to change the behaviour of over one billion people globally, to adopt the habit of hand-washing with soap at all critical times into an automatic behaviour by 2015. Unilever Uganda Limited with her partners are committed to inculcating this simple, and yet least-practised life-saving hygiene habit."

Source: Albert Ahabwe, East African Business Week /allAfrica.com, 4 October 2010