Kabale councilors recommend for the acquisition of more land to protect Kyabakonjo Gravity Scheme.

By Alex Byakatonda

Communications Officer-Kabale

01/06/2023

Kabale District councilors sitting on the Production, Marketing Trade and Natural Resources committee, have recommended that the district needs to procure more land around the source of Kyabakonjo Gravity flow scheme to help in protecting the source from land slides.

The councillors, made the observation on Wednesday during a monitoring visit to gravity flow scheme. The gravity water flow scheme, which located in Buhara Sub county, is being renovated by Andywc Contractors and Suppliers Ltd at a tune of 45,790,013 Shillings.

According to the Kabale District Water Officer, Patience Aharinta, the rehabilitation works include, source protection, Distributions mains rehabilitation, construction and rehabilitation of 8 tap stands, Minor rehabilitation on the reservoir among others. Others are extension of water to Ruboroga village and construction of two tap stands there, trench excavation, leveling and planning grass at the work source and planting of water friendly trees at the source.

However, the District Male Workers’ representative, George Saturday, noted that although the scheme, has been renovated, there is need for a retainer wall to be constructed so as to protect the scheme from floods in future. He however said that it may not be easy to construct the wall, since there is no land where to construct it.

The Secretary for Production, Marketing Trade and Natural Resources committee, who is also the District Male Youth councilor, Ronald Bagamuhunda, noted that the funds allocated to this gravity scheme were insufficient to include other works like protecting the source from floods, yet it had initially been destroyed by the floods. The Kyabakonjo Gravity flow scheme was constructed in the 2020-21 financial year, but was destroyed by floods resulting from heavy rains, beofre it could last two years.

Bagamuhunda also proposed that some funds be set aside and the district negotiates with the neighbors so that more land is acquired to plan the extension of the source.

The Secretary for Finance, Administration, works and technical services Bridget Asinga Tumwesigye, said that they have agreed with the contractor to plant trees like gravellier and elephant grass to protect the source from future floods.

Asinga also retaliated the need to activate water user committees to manage each tap stand, to maintain this gravity flow scheme from being damaged.

END