By Geofrey Walakira & Mahdhi Ali Ssenkabirwa
Oct 21, 2003 - Monitor
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KAMPALA � Vice President Gilbert Bukenya is one of several high profile city residents affected by the current water shortage in some suburbs. Several ministers and senior government officials as well as diplomats have also been affected by the shortage that has hit Naguru, Kamwokya, Ntinda, Kololo and Naalya suburbs in the east of the city. The water supply was cut off after officials of the Chinese Civil Engineering Corporation cut into the main water supply on 8th Street, Industrial Area, last Friday while repairing the road. Officials at the National Water and Sewerage Corporation said the affected areas will not have water for another three days. Local council authorities in Kololo said prominent city tycoons, Mr Sudhir Ruparelia, Mr Karim Hirji and central bank governor, Mr Tumusiime Mutebile, have also been affected by the shortage. Some buildings belonging to the Danish, Japanese, Egyptian, American and Belgian embassies, as well as the Indian, Tanzanian and Kenyan high commissions, all in Kololo, are out of water. However, many of the rich and the famous have huge water tanks and have not felt the pain of the shortage like many ordinary wananchi in the suburbs. In Ntinda, VP Bukenya�s house has been without piped water for six days. However, the people at the VP�s house have been using water from an underground tank, which is replenished by a water truck. An LC-I official in the area, Mr Gabriel Agaba, said other prominent residents in Ntinda Ministers village who are without piped water include Education and Sports ministers Kidhu Makubuya and Henry Oryem. Also affected is former Finance minister Mayanja Nkangi. Agaba said that area residents have resorted to buying 20-litre jerry cans of water from boda boda cyclists at Shs 1,000 each. The official said the jerry cans have run out of stock in Ntinda supermarkets. �The rich residents here get water from Kireka or buy it from the city centre,� Agaba said. The less fortunate of Ntinda Zone 19 wash their clothes in a valley in Kyambogo, he said. Agaba said some residents walk for more than 3 miles in search of water. Not everyone is drowning under the stress of having no water, though. At former minister Bidandi Ssali�s nearby home in Bukoto, there is no piped water supply � but there is no crisis. Mr Abbey Katumba, Bidandi�s son, told The Monitor that they have an underground tank which holds 30,000 litres � enough to keep them going for a month. Mr Deo Byaruhanga Akiki, the LC-I chairman of Kololo 2 Parish said his area � which is one of the swankiest residential areas in the city � has been badly hit by the water shortage. Efforts to speak to most residents were futile. The Secretary Naalya LC-I, Mr Moses Musalo, said the construction of many buildings in the area has stopped due to the water shortage.. |
� 2003 The Monitor Publications
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