By Patrick Jaramogi
KAMPALA, Uganda: Reports of an outbreak of cholera in some parts of Kampala will be exacerbated by an acute shortage of water in Kampala city and most suburbs.
TheSpy in a town run around Kampala and its suburbs in Nakawa, Kawempe, Makindye, Rubaga and Kampala Central Divisions established that water shortage has been reported in most areas for the last 24 hours. Other areas hit are Seeta and in Mukono. The acute water shortage, the worse in recent years and the latest in 2019 has also affected Seeta, Maganjo, Kawanda, Kagoma, Matuga, Kireka, Kololo, Banda, Ntinda, Kyaliwajala, Namugongo, Nsasa, Bulindom Mutungo, Biina, Luzira, Kitintale, Bweyogerere, Mulago and Rubaga where Cholera outbreak was reported three days ago. Other areas affected by the water shortage include, Kulambiro, City Center, Parliament Avenue and Kamwokya. The water shortage as caused multitudes of lines in various springs and wells around Kampala. Those with business antiques are making a quick “kill” by selling a jerrycan of water to between shs2,000- 10,000 depending on location. In Kololo, an upscale Kampala suburb, some residents were seen loading jerry-cans onto their car boots in search for water. While others had to painfully part with shs10,000 per jerrycan for the ghetto boys downstream in Kamwokya who had a field day running around in bicycles and boda boda’s. Speaking to The Spy, the Managing Director National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) Eng. Dr. Silver Mugisa attributed the acute water shortage to the previous and subsequent power surges that led to a huge pipe burst at the main water pump in Gaga. “We got a huge pipe burst in Gaba water works as a result of acute power fluctuations. We are about to complete the repairs,” said NWSC MD Mugisa.
TheSpy in a visit to the Gaba water works got scores of NWSC staff fixing the burst. Water is expected to be restored in the next 48 hours, according to field officers. NWSC has meanwhile urged all those affected to remain calm and use the little available water sparingly.
