A section of Kanyigo ward water users protesting aggresively uncontented with the move by Ward Executive Officer to expel journalists from the meeting
Children under eight years old in Kanyigo ward, Kagera Region are at risk due to frequent water cuts*
Mutayoba Arbogast, Bukoba
CHILDREN in Kanyigo Ward, Missenyi district, Kagera region, especially those under eight years old, who largely need various cares including nutrition, are at risk of contracting epidemic and infectious diseases, due to the frequent interruption of tap water in the area.
The average availability of water in that ward per month is only between 10 to 15 days.
Families are forced to use water from unsafe sources that have a high level of salt or are polluted, thus threatening their well-being, especially young children.
According to the Population and Housing Census of 2022, the ward was had 9,547 residents out of the 245,394 residents of Missenyi district while there are 70,090 children aged 0 to nine according to the census.
Water is important for hygiene services including food preparation, and it keeps body organs including bones as there is no added sugar.
The statement of the United Nations Organization related to children (UNICEF) in celebration of World Water Day on March 22, 2024, states that more than 1000 children under 5 die every day from water-related diseases.
The government has already installed water infrastructure in Kanyigo ward, to ensure that the citizens have access to clean and safe water, where many households have already connected tap water from the Omurushenye water source through the Kabambilo water tank.
The project cost 684 million shillings and was launched by the former Deputy Minister of Water, who is now the Minister of Water on Jumaa Aweso, in August 2020.
However, the project with 645 water customers has continued to falter due to what is described as unsatisfactory operational procedures
One expart who claimed anyonymity said it takes several days including to get LUKU (Prepaid electricity meters) money from the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, (RUWASA), as the payment of water bills goes to the GePG (Government electronic Payment Gateway) system where all collections must go to the Central Bank (BOT) first and then be returned for use. That, that is one of the reasons for the delay in getting LUKU money, and advise that there should be a procedure to have LUKU cash reserves while waiting for the distribution from the Central Bank.
The Kanyigo water project accountant says the biggest problem he faces is the large number of water users who fail to pay their debts on time to the extent that there are times when the debts are close to half of the expected collection, thus making the operation of the project difficult.
Water users complain about water being cut off, even if they have cleared their bills and water bills being unrealistic, but the biggest of all is the dissolution of the water committee of the project without a detailed explanation to the users, and instead the creation of another committee involving the neighboring of Kashenye ward which is located on the shores of Lake Victoria and there is a project for pumping water from the lake,which has taken of and still under construction.
According to the Manager of the Rural Water and Sanitation Agency, (RUWASA) Missenyi district, Engineer Andrew Kilembe, the project has a value of 1.8 billion shs, expected to serve the counties of Kanyigo, Kashenye and Bwanjai, and when completed will reach about 23,319 people.
In an unusual situation, after the government process began to build the infrastructure to draw water from Lake Victoria, a project introduced in Kashenye on July 7, 2023, RUWASA in Missenyi district dissolved the Kanyigo District Water Committee without acknowledging water users and formed one committee for the two wards.
Citizens are surprised by the new water committee led by leaders who are not part of Kanyigo Community Based Water Supply Organisation (CBWSO)
One of the water enthusiasts of Kanyigo ward, Yesse Mushumbusi Kassano ays that the so-called new commettee, uniting the water committees of Kanyigo and Kashenye wards, was a very big mistake, sabotaging Kanyigo CBWSO.
“The Kanyigo Committee: consisted of water, users (stakeholders), employees (executives), income and technical structures that made it qualified to be registered a CBWSO. Connecting it with any area that does not have the same parameters as Kanyigo, is unacceptable.
“It would be wise to wait first for the completion of the Lake Victoria project which is the cluster of both parties”,said Kassano.
Water users for so long have been demanding a meeting to explain their grudges challenges and way forward but the Chairperson of the new committee turned a deaf ear, probably because he comes from Kashenye county, where there is still no water, and thus he seemed unable to cope with the challenges of the other side with a project that provides water, untill when water users signed a request for the meeting .
At last the meeting scheduled on 11 July 2024, to be attended by RUWASA Manager.
Ward Executive Officer(WEO) expels the journalists from the meating
While at initial stages of the meeting and still waiting for RUWASA Manager to come, expected to give direction on solving various challenges that undermine the government efforts on water supply, the Kanyigo ward Executive officer (WEO), whose role is to oversee the social services, and peace and security, Daudi Kyaka, expelled two journalists, Pontian Kaiza of Radio Kasibante FM and Theofilda Felician of Radio Karagwe FM, who had been invited by water stakeholders, from the meeting giving details details that he has contacted Missenyi District Commissioner, snd that he didn’t approve the presence of journalists at the meeting.
The water stakeholders protested the act of expelling the journalists, questioning what was being hidden, and following the misunderstanding, the meeting broke up, stakeholders dispersed, insisting, “Water is life, not a luxury”, and strongly demanding another meeting to be covered by media.
However, Missenyi DistrictCommissioner, Colonel (retired), Hamis Mayamba Maiga, speaking over the phone with the reporters who were expelled, denied being involved in that order, shocked by what happened.
It is clear that even the statement of RUWASA Missenyi that a total of 191,4O7 residents (equivalent to 78 percent), out of a total of 245,394 residents, get safe and clean water through 18 water schemes in not realistic considering the water problem in Kanyigo.
If these conflicts are not quickly resolved, community, especially children under eight will suffer serious consequences due to lack of water, thus setting back the welfare of young children and disrupting the government’s strategy to eradicate the deaths of pregnant mothers and children.
Information from Kagera Regional Reproductive and Child Health Coordinator is that in 2023 there were 25 maternal deaths and prenatal nfants deaths were 227, and from January to June 2024 maternal deaths are 25 and 109 prenatal infants.
“If we compare with previous years, every month the deaths are decreasing” says Sr. Mary Goreth Rusangiza Coordinator for Kagera Regional Reproductive and Child Health Unit
