North Kigezi Diocese News
The Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, the Rt. Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe, represented by the Bishop’s Commissary Rev. Canon Elisha Waswa, today commissioned a community spring in Nyarutooma Cell, Nyakabungo Parish, Buyanja Sub-county in Rubabo Constituency.
The commissioning ceremony attracted local leaders, church leaders, WATSAN officials, and members of the community who gathered to celebrate the achievement of access to clean and safe water.
While speaking during the commissioning, Rev. Canon Elisha Waswa called upon the community to appreciate and properly utilize the spring, reminding them to always remember the people and partners who contributed towards the construction of the water source.
He emphasized that the spring would serve all people regardless of religious affiliation, including Anglicans, Catholics, and Muslims, describing it as a unifying factor within the community.
Rev. Canon Waswa also stressed the importance of hygiene and sanitation, urging residents to maintain cleanliness in their homes and ensure that water containers are regularly cleaned. He noted that clean water promotes healthy living and applauded the residents for electing leaders who worked collaboratively with WATSAN to secure access to safe water for the community.
He further warned residents against conflicts at the water source, saying proper cooperation and maintenance would ensure the spring serves the community for a long time. At the same function, he encouraged especially men to seek God and remain faithful in their spiritual lives.
The North Kigezi and Kinkiizi Diocese (NKKD) WATSAN Coordinator, Rev. Moses Kabareebe, expressed gratitude to Bishop Onesimus Asiimwe for honoring the occasion and highlighted the work of WATSAN in promoting water and sanitation in North Kigezi and Kinkiizi Dioceses with support from the UK Support Group.
Quoting the WATSAN motto, “Water is Life, Sanitation is Dignity,” Rev. Kabareebe explained that the program involves construction and rehabilitation of springs and wells alongside community sensitization on sanitation and hygiene practices.
He urged the residents to establish by-laws that will help protect the water source, create a maintenance fund, and hold regular meetings to ensure sustainability of the spring. He also emphasized the importance of storing clean water in clean containers.
The Archdeacon of Nyabiteete Archdeaconry, Ven. Enock Karamuzi, called upon the community to protect the spring and reminded them that besides providing water, the source would also bring people together from different parts of the area, strengthening unity among residents.
He thanked WATSAN for preaching the Gospel not only through words but also through practical actions that transform communities.
The spring cost approximately five million six hundred thousand shillings (UGX 5.6 million). The local community contributed by providing hardcore stones, gravel, labor, feeding the builders, and raising an additional amount of three hundred thousand shillings (UGX 300,000) for materials that could not be sourced locally.
Mr. Marius Katunguka, the Sustainability Mobilizer for NKKD WATSAN, encouraged residents to use the spring sustainably and protect it from contamination. He warned against allowing animals, especially cows, to graze near the water source and advised the community not to plant eucalyptus trees around the spring because they drain the water table.
Speaking on behalf of the government, the LC I Chairperson Mr. Zoreka Kenneth thanked the Diocese and WATSAN for providing the community with clean water. He appreciated the residents who participated in the construction activities and encouraged continued cooperation in maintaining the pathways leading to the spring as well as ensuring water containers remain clean.
Speaking on behalf of the local residents, Mr. Atamba Wilber, the chairperson of the construction committee, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed towards the success of the project. He noted that the community now expects a reduction in waterborne diseases because of access to clean and safe water.
The community’s ordinary spring was rehabilitated after it wore out over more than 40 years since being built in the 1970s and couldn’t accommodate the growing local population.
