Micheal Atwakiire.
Sheema: Angry residents of Rugazi Parish, Masheruka Sub-County, Sheema District recently cut water pipes in their areas as a way of showing their discomfort to District authorities that had agreed with Umbrella water project to start charging sums.
It is alleged that Sheema District Local Government had agreed with Umbrella water project to put meters on their taps which residents oppose.
Residents urge that District leaders together with Umbrella Water Project sat with Rugazi residents and parties agreed a verbal agreement where; Rugazi people were to allow the Umbrella to build tanks in Katojo.
They further say, they agreed the Umbrella to provide services after confirming that the firm gave assurance to cover both Masheruka Town council, Masheruka Sub County villages and Trading centers at no costs.
However, it was a disappointment when the Water project and District officials started putting meters on their taps requesting them to start paying with effective 1st September 2019 something that sparkled a discomfort resulting to cutting off Water pipes transporting water into and out the main tank plus destroying all related property.
On 22 August, residents decided to clear all streams in their area saying that they will keep on fetching water from those streams and that they no longer need water from taps.
Mugizi Ham a resident of Katojo cell in Masheruka Sub County said, what annoys them is, it was residents who dug water stretches, put in and buried all pipes plus building water taps at no costs so it would be unfair for someone to come from nowhere and start billing them without considering their efforts.
“We wonder after seeing Umbrella project metering our own water yet water and land where all tanks are built were given to them at no cost, we didn’t ask them to pay us even a coin, remember they found us using our water and we had never obtained any disease from this water because our water is naturally clean and fresh,” Mugizi said.
Magurukane Joseph a resident of Rugazi said that the problem was brought by Sheema District leaders led by RDC Frank Kyereere and David Kabigumira the Chairman LC V whom he said that they use force and don’t want to go and sensitize residents.
“All these differencies were brought in by our district leaders who want to use force, they think being at top seats make them own everything, I wonder why these people can’t come down and sensitize us on how and why we should pay bills,” Magurukane said.
Rosaria Kembabazi also a resident of Katojo asked the government to
help them and take away umbrella water project which wants to start collecting money from them.
TheSpy talked to RDC Sheema District Mr. Frank Kyereere who told us that
the problem with people of Rugazi is, they don’t want to listen yet they are doing blunders.
He added that there are some politicians who pay them to behave like that
