BEHIND SCENES OF KAHENGYE-RUKUNGIRI DISTRICT WATER PROJECT FROM JULY 2016.
- Biryabarema Kezekia Jr.
- Jul 31, 2020
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 2, 2020
Posted by Uganda media centre blog on October 15, 2016
The Government of Uganda through Ministry of Water and Environment and National Water and Sewerage Corporation is implementing a water management and development project in Rukungiri. The project commenced in July 2016 and is expected to be complete by September 2017 . The scope of works for Rukungiri water supply system (Phase 1) includes;
Construction of new intake at Kahengye River
Raw water rising pumping mains ( 3Nos. uPVC DN250 )
Construction of new water treatment plant at Kabingo village , Kebisoni
Clear water rising transmission main, DN350 DI
Construction of 700m3 RCC master balancing Reservoir at Mukazi Hill.
Construction of admin, power and generator & Electro-mechanical workshop building.
Laying of 39Km of distribution mains ( DN400, DN300, DN 250 & DN200 uPVC )
Note; Phase 1 will be completed by September 2017.
Phase 2
Construction of 1000m3 and 300m3 RCC Reservoirs at Rwanyakashesha and Bwoma respectively
Construction of 400m3, 200m3, & 100m3 RCC reservoirs in Buyanja, Kebisoni and Rwerere
Laying of 20Km of distribution mains
Construction of a lagoon Upon completion, the project will help improve the lives of our people in the region. #Water4all
Gov’t fights Rukungiri family over Shs44 billion World Bank water project
A multi billion gravity scheme water project on River Kahengye in Rukungiri District has stalled over bitter rivalry over land rights during the sale of a piece of land.
The disagreement stems from the sale of a piece of land along River Kahengye in Kabingo, Kebisoni sub county which is at border between Rukungiri and Ntungamo districts.
The Ministry of Water and Environment with funding from the World Bank, is to construct a Shs 44 billion water project tapping water from Kahengye River between Rukungiri and Ntungamo districts to Rwerere Town Council on the border with Kanungu District.
The project is expected to supply to supply two lines of gravity water one going to Karuhembe in Kebisoni while another will supply water to urban centres of Kebisoni, Buyanja, Rwerere, Nyakagyeme and Rukungiri municipality.
The family of the late John Johns Biretwaho was hand picked to supply the needed piece of land by Rukungiri Municipality authorities and a sale agreement was entered into by one Morris Agaba purportedly working on behalf of the Biretwaho family and the Municipality without the consent of the whole family.
However, Rukungiri Municipality which sought the project was mandated to procure land where a water treatment facility would be constructed.It is alleged that Municipality authorities connived with Mr Agaba and agreed to sell the land measuring about 5 acres at Ushs 47 million after considering it as a customary land yet the said land is freehold land with a title on Plot 46 block 56.
Now another member of the family, Mr Moses Biretwaho has contested the sale claiming that his brother acted in bad faith when he agreed to sell off family land basing on customary basis which attracted low cost yet it can bring in more money if it is considered as freehold.
He has also asked Rukungiri Municipality to avail the family with land valuation rates on which the sale agreement was based on since they claimed that the price was reached upon after the government valuer valued the land. However, this seem to have been not the case because the Municipality authorities have since failed to produce the valuation rates.
Mr. Biretwaho also claims that Rukungiri Municipality as a government institution did not follow the procurement rules by advertising the procurement of the said land to attract competition of competent bidders to supply the land but they just zeroed on their land and grabbed it.
Mr Moses Biretwaho insists his family’s land that will be used in the development of the Kahengye- Rwerere water project has first compensate by government before the project starts.
Mr Agaba has conversely refused to talk to this reporter saying that the issue was family affair.
A total of 6000 households are expected to benefit from the project and it was contracted to TECHNO FAB Engineering company Ltd to execute the civil works.
Instead, Mr Biretwaho says he has no problem with project going forward but disagrees with the sale of the family land not being renegotiated well so that the family can get value for their property.
He has since instructed his lawyers to institute a statutory notice to sue Rukungiri Municipality if they do not allow the new negotiations where all family members are represented and sale agreement based on freehold entity.
In March this year, the Rukungiri District chairperson, Mr Charles Byabakama, assured officials from the Water and Environment ministry that the project will be protected from encroachers, a concern raised by the ministry that many would-be beneficiaries may want to harm the project if water does not reach them.
The multi billion water project is expected to be launched by President Yoweri Museveni on 5th January 2017, at the site in Kahengye Rukungiri district, but the family members have threatened to peacefully demonstrate if their land rights are not considered for redress as Museveni visits.
Compiled by Patson Baraire +256 772 646657 /baraire.patson82@gmail.com.
Posted On 05 August 2017 By : MK Newslink
Rukungiri district Authorities and residents are blaming TECHNO FAB Engineering limited company for the delay to complete construction of a Shs44b gravity water project at Kahengye that is funded by the World Bank and the government of Uganda.
Rukungiri district on April 26, 2016 entered into a contract with Techno FAB Engineering Services to construct Rukungiri Municipality water project, the construction commenced on 14 July 2016 and completion is expected in 11th September 2017a period equivalent to 365days. According to the Rukungiri District water officer;Deus Tukwatse, only 35 per cent of the work has been done.
The remaining work is 65 per cent in the remaining one and half months to completion. Tukwatse said the works done so far includes laying of foundations for the eight water treatment facilities, setting up of the concrete walls and construction of two public toilets in the town. The chairperson of the committee formed to oversee the project who is also the district chairperson; Anderson Katebire, expressed dissatisfaction with progress on the permanent works stating that the contractor has shown laxity hence asked Techno FAB Engineering Services to speed up their works and finish in the remaining time. Keneth Byamukama, the LC1 Kigunda ,Karuhembe kebison said that they are waiting for the project to be finished and get water near to them since the village is always disturbed by water scarcity especially in the drought season. He says that people in his village trek three to four kilometers in search of water for domestic use and for their animals to Kahengye stream.
Mr. Nanda Kumar, the site manager and Mr. Kenneth Kilangwa, the site project supervisor defended themselves saying that they were disturbed by the rocks in the ground during the excavation of basement for the tanks that needed design for explosion.
They request the leaders to give them more time so that they produce a good job. Kebisoni Sub County, Buyanja Sub County, Rukungiri municipality and Nyakagyeme Sub County are the beneficiaries of this project.
Compiled by Barak Tukashaba
Kahengye water project stalls
Thursday July 19 2018 @Daily Monitor
The construction of Kahengye Gravity Water Scheme is far from complete two years after the project commenced.
The Shs44b World Bank and government funded water project kicked off in July 2016 and was undertaken by an Indian firm, Technofab Engineering Services.
It was expected to be completed by September 2017. The scheme is expected to benefit 120,000 people in Rukungiri and Ntungamo districts. Rukungiri District Water Officer Deus Atukwase explains that the contractor has outlived his contract period and should start paying damages to government for the delay.
After one year in July 2017, only 35 per cent of the civil works had been done with the contractor asking for more time.
“At first, the contractor had some challenges and government took all the measures to resolve them. We have made all the necessary extensions of contract. The contract has now delayed for more than a year,” he says, adding: “However, they promised to have completed work by end of August; that is what we are now working with.”
He notes that the recent assessment put the work done at the source (water pump, reservoir and other infrastructure at River Kahengye) at about 65 per cent and less than 40 per cent has been done away from the source.
While land was secured for construction of water treatment and supply tanks at Iterero Catholic Parish in Nyamunuka Town Council and at Kabuhiju in Rwashamaire Town Council, there have not been major developments by the contractor at the sites.
Ms Phionah Natukunda, the councilor representing Nyakagyeme Sub county and Rwerere Town Council in Rukungiri District Council, avers that people are demanding for an explanation from government why this delay.
“It has been years now since they told us they were extending water to Rwerere but we have not even seen anyone trying to excavate a tunnel. We have lost hope, people are saying they may have been duped,” she says.
Mr Rwabatongole Rweishe, a resident of Buyanja Sub-county, says the district local government is not even maintaining the existing water sources.
“We have approached the district to have our protected springs maintained but they tell us that water will soon be extended to our area and that they cannot spend more money on other water sources. I think government needs to be responsible in the promises they make,” Mr Rwabatongole says.
Rukungiri Municipality MP Roland Mugume Kaginda says the delay at the beginning of the project can be excusable but the current snail pace and failures must be explained by the contractor.
But the project engineer, Mr Rodney Ochen, says they have been facing challenges of acquiring land for laying of water pipes.
Compiled by Perezi Rumanzi & Alfred Tumushabe.
Rukungiri Water Project: Residents Protest Over Delayed Compensation
By Giles Muhame December 5, 2018
Over 50 locals of Kahengye in Kebisoni town council, Rukungiri district on Tuesday stormed the office of the RDC Dan Kaguta seeking compensation for their property and crops that were destroyed during the construction of the Shs. 44billion World Bank and Government funded water project.
The 2016 project was contracted to and Indian firm, Technofab Engineering Services.
In their petition, the locals claim the project destroyed their livelihood and that efforts to engage relevant officials in the district and the Ministry of Water for their compensation were not fruitful.
“We have been denied the right to information on when our payments will come through and on several occasions we have been lied to and received threats and arrested,” reads the petition.
John Akampa Rugaba, one of the petitioners says they have waited for nearly three years but government has failed to compensate them for their property that was destroyed.
He says that they have given government an ultimatum of two weeks to have compensated them.
Dan Kaguta, the Rukungiri RDC says that he has received the petition and that he is to take their concerns to the relevant authorities.
Rukungiri approves more Shs11b to complete long awaited Kahengye Water project
By Ronald Kabanza watchdog 5 months ago
The Rukungiri district council on Friday passed a resolution of adding Shs11 billion to Shs44 billion towards the completion of Kahengye water project.
The resolution was passed during the council sitting that was chaired by Milly Jovial Mbabazi, the district deputy speaker held in the district council hall yesterday at the district headquarters.
The motion was tabled before the floor of the council by the district chairperson Charles Andrewson Katibire who told the council that once this project is completed it will provide clean and safe water for human and animal consumption.
Katibire told the council that the ministry of water and environment added the district with Ugx 11 billion to help in the completion of Kahengye water project and the project completion contract was contracted by Vambeco Engineering and construction company Limited.
Mackline sebbitti, women council representing Buyanja and Kebisoni sub- counties in the district council seconded the motion saying that it has been public’s concern on the progress of this water project.
Mackline added that the completion of project will bring smiles on the faces of Rukungirians and will help in solving water problems in the sub- counties of Nyakagyeme, Ruhinda and Rukungiri municipality.
The Shs44 billion World Bank and government funded water project kicked off in July 2016 and was contracted by an Indian firm called Technofab Engineering services to be completed in 2017.
Comments