As part of efforts to provide clean water, Makuutu Sub-county in Bugweri District has received 20 new boreholes. These boreholes are part of the initiative to promote access to safe drinking water.
Nakyisuyi Zubeda from Makandwa, one of the villages that benefited from the new boreholes, shared her experience. She explained that before the boreholes were installed, villagers had to walk long distances—sometimes up to 2 kilometers—to fetch clean water. She added that they had suffered from waterborne diseases for a long time. This scarcity of clean water also led to domestic conflicts, with some men suspecting their wives were engaging in affairs while struggling to find water. Zubeda expressed relief, saying, “We shall breathe today.”
Namukenge Satiate, a resident of Say Village, also expressed appreciation for the donors. She noted that the new water sources would not only improve health but also help reduce incidents of gender-based violence, including late-night rape cases.
Maganda Muhammadi Ali, the LC Chairperson of Makandwa Village, commonly known as Mr. Work, praised the donors, especially Dr. Iddi Menya, for their efforts in providing clean and safe water. However, he also expressed frustration with the President’s tour in Busoga. He claimed that they were misled with promises that President Museveni would visit their village as part of his Parish Development Model (PDM) tour, but these promises were never fulfilled, and no legislators came to explain the situation.
Mr. Muhammadi commended Dr. Menya for selecting their village to benefit from the water program, expressing hope that the initiative would continue. He appealed for ongoing support, especially since some villages had to share a single borehole.
Dr. Iddi Menya, on behalf of the donors, explained that their main role was to drill boreholes to support local communities. He emphasized that providing clean water helps improve hygiene, reduces the time spent fetching water, and benefits schoolchildren, giving them more time to study. He noted that many regions across Uganda—such as Western, Northern, and Eastern Uganda—had benefited from similar projects.
Dr. Menya said that his goal was to start with the Busoga region and expand to other parts of the country. He highlighted that access to clean water improves people’s standard of living and helps prevent diseases caused by sharing water sources with animals.
In his address to the locals, Dr. Menya also declared his intention to run for president in the 2026 general elections. He called this his first consultative meeting with the people of Bugweri, noting that one of the key issues raised by the community was the lack of clean water. He vowed to continue supplying safe water to the area and to address the concerns of the local population.
