By Elizabeth Mwibanda, Busia
The County Government of Busia on Friday kick-started the rehabilitation of Kshs 37 million Busijo Water project at the shores of the lake in Bwiri ward, Samia Sub-county to address the perennial water scarcity
For decades, residents of Bwiri and Ageng’a Nanguba wards in Samia Sub County, Busia County, have waded through water scarcity, their proximity to Lake Victoria, the third largest fresh water lake in the world, not withstanding.
Residents here disclosed that access to clean water for domestic use is still a challenge and are forced to use the untreated water they fetch from the lake that has exposed many to water-borne diseases such as diarrhoea, dysentery and amoeba.
However, the Count Government of Busia through the Financing Locally Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) program domiciled in the Department of Water, aims to implement the project to distribute the commodity to a population of over 45,000 residents in the two wards and neighbouring Bunyala North ward in Bunyala Sub County.
Already connected to 326 users among them five institutions namely; Busijo Secondary School, Sio Port Sub County Hospital, Samia Girls and Bujwang’a Primary Schools and Sio Port Police station, plans are underway to connect Hakati Primary schools and Hakati Army Barracks respectively upon completion.
Addressing locals at the site of project during its commissioning, Busia Governor Dr Paul Otuoma, assured residents that the project will be completed by February next year to serve its intended purpose.
He stated that ealier designs of the project were elaborate enough to serve beyond the two wards all the way to Busia town by linking with the Mundika Water supply in Matayos Sub County and also neighbouring Sisenye water supply in Bunyala.
“The major challenge we face currently is high running costs accruing from high electricity bills of approximately Kshs 500,000 every month. However, we have decided to introduce the solar component to make it cost effective,” he said.
The governor who was accompanied by his executive led by County Secretary Oscar Juma and Water CEC Andrew Meso, further disclosed that the project will also have a treatment component at Mumbaka Hills before distribution by gravity.
The County boss challenged the contractor to deliver the project within stipulated timeframe to ensure value for money.
“This is not a new project but something that has been existing for sometime now which means we have that learning curve to identify where we need to channel the expertise needed.”
The governor who is on a 5-day tour of the County to inspect ongoing projects mainly in the water, health, trade and agriculture subsectors also inspected the ongoing construction of Sio Port Economic Stimulus Program Market and Sio Port Sub County Hospital Theatre in Ageng’a Nanguba ward.
He later unveiled the Namboboto Nambuku ward Administration office, inspected the Construction of Funyula Disaster Management Centre Offices, Nangina Dispensary Maternity Unit and also commissioned gravelling of Siwongo-Sijowa road in Nangina ward.
The highlight of the day was the launch of the County Roads Infrastructure Improvement Programme (CRIIP) – the first one of its kind since the inception of devolved units.
The initiative aims at upgrading 70 kilometers of roads to bitumen, 7 kilometers of roads to cabro, and maintaining 536 kilometers of road to gravel standards.
A further 2,400 kilometers of earth roads are being maintained while 210 kilometers of new roads will be opened cross the County.
