Three learning institutions and residents of Manyonyi and Marakusi sub locations in Lugari Constituency are set to benefit from a rehabilitated and expanded Manyonyi Community Water Project.
The Sh.10 million rehabilitation and expansion works to be undertaken by Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency will benefit Manyonyi Primary School, Manyonyi Girls Secondary School, Mahemas Primary School and hundreds of households in the two sub locations.
Speaking during the site handover to the contractor, Lugari legislator Nabii Nabwera said the multi-million water project will end the water challenges that have bedevilled the learning institutions and the local community for decades.
He thanked Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency for accepting to undertake the rehabilitation works urging the local community to fully support the project.
The agency’s engineers suggest that a well-managed water source, subject to funding availability, can produce a substantial amount of water for a large catchment area.
He requested that residents who have encroached on the land hosting the water source to immediately prepare the way for the contractor to commence rehabilitation works.
“The piece of government land hosting the water source is two acres. If you are occupying any section of it just vacate because part of the project’s plan is to protect the water source, he said
“For those who have planted eucalyptus trees around, kindly cut them down. Let us replace them with indigenous and bamboo trees for the sake of conserving the water source,” he further advised.
In regards to sanitation around the water source, Nabwera urged residents without pit latrines to urgently construct them so that the water source is not contaminated.
He disclosed that he has made a Sh50 million request in the forthcoming budget for expansion of the water project to cover more residents.
Engineer Pierra Karimi from Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency said the agency will ensure the project is fast tracked for the sake of the suffering schools and residents.
She said the project will kick-start with a 30,000-litre tank in the first phase and urged the Member of Parliament to lobby for more funding from the national government to enable them to expand the project to reach more people.
“The first step we are going to undertake is to construct an underground tank to conserve all the water from the spring. After that we shall install a solar-hybrid pump system. This will minimize the pumping cost and guard the beneficiaries from high electricity bills that have led to failure of many water projects in the country,” she stated.
On her part, Ms Mary Manyasa, a sociologist with Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency called for support from the community and local administrators towards the contractor to ensure the project is implemented smoothly.
She said once complete the local community will have to form a committee that will manage the project and ensure its sustainability.
Manyonyi Girls Secondary School Principal Janet Tsigera whose school is set to be the main beneficiary of the water project thanked Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency for the timely initiative.
“We are really happy as a school because water is life and the water project is set to save us from many challenges. Without water our kitchen staff struggle a lot, the buildings remain dirty and our girls suffer because they have to go out after classes and look for water,” she said.
Residents led by Isaac Kawayi and Ruth Lumumba welcomed the water project saying they have suffered many years without a reliable water source.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
