The schemes were established by World Vision, a nongovernmental organisation in 2000 to help communities access safe water. Last month, NWSC took over the schemes in a Shillings 500 million project with authorisation from the sub county leadership.
The move drew angry protests from residents saying they were not consulted before the decision to hand over the schemes to the water body was reached. They are demanding compensation from NWSC installs pipes through their land.
Last week, a team of NWSC officials from Kabale who had gone to survey the route for laying the pipes in Kyabuhangwa parish narrowly survived being lynched by residents. Patrick Kamaniini, a resident of Kyabuhangwa Parish, says that he just saw people from NWSC with machines surveying his land without his permission.
According to Kamaniini, NWSC has to first compensate them before installing pipes on their land. Augustine Twabakazi, a resident of Kyigara parish says he is opposed to the takeover of the schemes because NWSC has a record for overcharging their customers.
Twabakazi says that they are comfortable with the Shillings 2000 they have been paying monthly for maintaining the scheme, insisting that there is no reason why NWSC should interfere with that arrangement. Kedres Turiburahe, a resident of Rwenyangi parish, says they were not sensitized about the takeover of the schemes.
However, Tedson Niwagaba, the Kamwezi Sub county LC III chairperson says they asked NWSC to take over the schemes because they had broken down and need to be upgraded. According to Niwagaba, sub county authorities petitioned government to take over the Gravity water flow schemes last year after registering several cases of water borne diseases like typhoid and Diarrhea resulting from the consumption of unsafe water.
Lenny Otai, the Kabale area Manager NWSC, saying it is only a small portion of the community opposed to the takeover because of ignorance. He however, says they will continue with the planned work, since the sub county authorities are the ones that requested NWSC to take over the schemes. He says once they complete installing the pipes, they will sit down with all stakeholders to discuss the costs of water.