NEWS in brief
Around Africa the judges said , “ NWSC is one of Africa ’ s model Utilities providing new performance frontiers and most importantly supporting the performance improvement in other utilities across Africa and beyond .”
Other competitors for the award were , Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company from Kenya , Rand Water and UMGENI Water from South Africa and the Moshi Urban Water and Sewerage Authority Tanzania .
In 2015 National Water and Sewerage Corporation cemented its position as a key player in the water sector both on the local and international scene .
On the local scene the corporation undertook transformational changes in its operational and geographical mandate providing new homegrown solutions to water service provision challenges and highlighting its contribution to the National Vision of transforming Uganda from a peasant to a self sustaining economy .
On the international arena NWSC sealed two very important projects , one with Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority , the biggest water utility in Bangladesh and the second with Chittagong Water and Sewerage Authority the second biggest city of Bangladesh .
Eng . Dr . Silver Mugisha
The two assignments provide a Public Public Partnership Model making NWSC the first public agency from Africa to provide technical assistance to sister utilities in Asia . The two projects are expected to benefit from over 20 million people .
The External Services division of NWSC is also providing technical assistance to water utilities to Ekiti and Adamawa states in Nigeria , Kisumu water company , Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Company and the Sierra Leone Water and Sewerage Company among others .
Speaking about the award , the MD of NWSC Eng . Dr . Silver Mugisha said the award was recognition of the hard work that management and staff of the corporation had put in to expand services to more Ugandans .
“ At National Water , we are committed to 100 % service coverage to enable us fulfill our mantra of water for all for a delighted customer by a delighted workforce .”
In a related development NWSC was awarded the Peak of Success Trophy 2016 in Monaco on May 15 2016 by the World Confederation of Businesses .
The award is given to companies that have been winners in previous editions of the The Bizz Award but continue to improve and be at the peak of their business .
The award was presented to the NWSC Board Chairman
Eng . Dr . Christopher Ebal . In receiving the award , he said the recognition would spur national water to greater performance levels to ensure that the corporation contributes to the national vision of transforming Uganda from a peasant to a modern society through efficient and cost effective provision of water and sewerage services .
Zimbabwe Families Sleep in Toilets
Lack of accommodation has forced about 50 Chinhoyi families to convert toilets into homes .
The families are from Shackleton - a dormitory mining area which used be a hive of activity during the golden era when mining was thriving in the country .
Accommodation problems have been exacerbated by the influx of abandoned workers from neighbouring farms who lost their jobs in the mayhem that was wrought by the forcible occupation of farms during the chaotic land reform programme
During a visit Shackleton recently , some families were busy cleaning the toilets while others had moved their property into new dwellings .
Nomatter Tsomondo , a mother of six , said her one room was not enough for her family .
“ I decided to turn this toilet into another room because I can ’ t be living with my adult children in one room that we are lodging . The situation is bad ,” she said .
“ Council has been promising us stands for a very long time ; politicians only come with their promises during the election campaign period and vanish once they are in power .”
After countless promises that they would get stands to build houses , the residents decided to invade the toilets and converted them into dwelling places .
Tsomondo said as long as she had a place to sleep , she did not care about the dangers of contracting diseases .
“ My son , how can you talk of diseases when one doesn ’ t have a place to lay their head ?” asked Tsomondo rhetorically .
Shackleton councillor Innocent Mangwanya ( Zanu PF ) said he saw nothing wrong with residents staying in toilets .
Africa Water , Sanitation & Hygiene • May - June 2016 7