Water officers from the 18districts in south western region, converged at Tropical Hotel in Kyenjojo district to evaluate performance in the first and second quarter of FY 2024/2025, and dissemination of the emerging sector issues, guidelines and policies.

These include Kabarole, Mubende, Kagadi, Kikuube, Masindi, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Hoima, Kitagwenda, Kamwenge, Bunyangabu, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Kibaale, Kakumiro, Kasese, Buliisa, and Kasanda.

 The same platform was used to develop strategies for improved and sustainable sanitation/ hygiene service delivery.

 The meeting was aimed at popularizing the region with management and sustainability approaches and practices that will raise the basic sanitation and hygiene coverage while addressing the climate resilient sanitation aspects in communities, health centers, schools, and public places.

 While opening the workshop, the Chief Administrative Officer Kyenjojo, Mr. Amis Asuman Masereka thanked the ministry for the initiative and for the grants to districts, especially Kyenjojo, which has helped the districts, as sanitation has greatly improved due to the efforts and support to the water systems put up in the district, as villages have access to safe water.

 He emphasized that hygiene and sanitation are key players in development, and other drivers of development don’t make sense without it.

 He also reiterated the President’s message that we should aim at moving away from curative treatment to preventive treatment.

 He thanked Rural Water and Sanitation Regional Center 5 (RWSRC-5) and other partners for the efforts to make this a success. He called upon other partners to come on board and transform communities.

 He also called upon the participants to look at the factors that inhibit us from getting the universal access, and as what wasn’t achieved in NDP3, so efforts are made and they be achieved in NDP 4, be honest enough about our levels of hygiene so we can learn from one another to get our districts to the expected standards, address the core issues in this engagement that cross cut to health and environment resilience and patriotism.

 Eng. Collins Yebazamukama, representing the PS called upon the participants as the key players in the hygiene sector, to give their biggest energy and effort to sanitation and clean water, as its one of the key and important markers and activities that determine development of the economy.

 The participants later visited some water facilities in the district. Among the visited facilities, was KaiziKashya gravity flow water supply and sanitation scheme, that was constructed by Kyenjojo District Local Government, under the LEGS Program, supported by Government of Uganda, and Islamic Development Bank.

 The facility currently serves over 400 households in the surrounding areas of Kyankaramata in Kihuura sub county.

 It was officially handed over to the community with 150 connections, but currently supplies over 400 households with clean and safe water. The water quality is ranked very good, and is tested monthly.

 Previously there were complaints of intermittent supply, as it used to run on solar alone, but this has been addressed with the facility receiving a generator, that compliments generation, thus constant 24/7 water supply.  During the engagement, district performance and ranking for water and sanitation was highlighted, with Kiruhura, Isingiro, and Ibanda ranking as the top 3 in the country. Participants pledged to go back and raise efforts to improve performance come this financial year.

While closing the engagement, the Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Grace Atuhaire, thanked everyone for the dedication and commitment to brainstorm n the water and sanitation issues. She requested them to work hand in hand with the district water coordination committees, to implement what was discussed in this engagement.

She applauded Kyenjojo water Office for having a district water committee, and as for always engaging the political division of the district in coordination, and implementation, and requested other districts to borrow a leaf, and involve the political side of their respective districts for easier community transformation.