By KENNEDY SENELWA

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The African Development Bank has approved a $62 million concessional loan to provide water and sanitation to 390,000 people in 10 Ugandan towns under the strategic towns water supply and sanitation project.

The goal is to increase access to clean water and sanitation services in several major urban centres by 2023.
The target districts are Kyenjojo, Nakasongola, Kayunga, Kamuli, Kapchorwa district, Dokolo, Bundibugyo and Buikwe.

The project will cost $69.34 million, of which the African Development Bank (AfDB) will provide $62.33 million while the Uganda government will chip in with $6.94 million.

The AfDB said demand for services in Uganda, as is the case elsewhere — outstrips the supply of water and sanitation facilities because of inadequate investments in infrastructure due to the high urban population growth, currently at 5.4 per cent.

Untreated effluent

“Lack of sewerage management facilities has led to discharge of untreated effluent, creating health problems such as cholera, especially in informal settlement in main urban centres,” a bank statement said.

The AfDB said about 150 people will be trained in appropriate urban sanitation (masonry/mechanic artisans/waste management), and that at least 20 per cent these must be women.

The sanitation project, which is aligned to the Bank’s Uganda Country Strategy for 2017-2021, will accelerate the implementation of its Ten-Year Strategy 2013-2022 and High5 priority of improving the quality of life for the people of Africa.

The sanitation project complements the Bank’s previous engagements such as the Small Towns Water and Sanitation Project, Kampala Sanitation Project, Kampala Urban Poor Project, Lake Victoria Water Supply and Sanitation Programme, and Water Supply and Sanitation Programme phase I and II.