They are well known for being peaceful, proactive, development-oriented, and responsible citizens but they never settle for less.
Residents of Bujaga in Nyehanga Town Council are up in the arms over the unfulfilled water-for-electricity plan and are demanding swift action from the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Over five years ago, Bujaga residents allowed the government free right of way during the construction of the Nyakaikara – Sheema Water project.
Nyakaikara is a remote parish after Bujaga and is home to the water flow scheme that supplies the formerly water-stressed areas of Sheema district – dozens of kilometers away.
To pump the water to Sheema, the government extended a three-phase electricity power line that only serves the pumping site at the water source, as hundreds of households in areas along the power line admire the height of the poles rather than enjoying the benefits of electricity access.
To the residents, the government has failed to meet its end of the bargain. “We gave our land for uninterrupted water passage in exchange for electricity. Now electricity lines pass above as we enjoy the darkness. This is unfair and unfortunate. We deserve much better,” area residents told this site.
They now want REA and electrify power distributor EMEME to provide power transformers to downgrade the electricity for home and business use.
Apart from domestic use, income-generating ventures in trading centers of Kijojo, Bujaga, Nyakaikara like saloons, agricultural produce processing plants, entertainment areas would spur growth in the area with the extension of electricity.
The residents want the area leaders – including MPs Amos Kankunda and Molly Asiimwe to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves to solve this grievance.
REA was not available for a comment on this issue by press time, but we will keep following up on this matter with them.
Mbarara News Comment
This is a win-win kind of project that everyone concerned must grab. It can prove to be one of the less costly- yet highly impactful development projects.
It’s in the best of REA and the area leaders to handle this matter, but also Sheema district leaders ought to add their weight to the conversations on this project to ensure it is fast-tracked.
We salute the dialogue and non-confrontational approach from the residents in the face of this overdue injustice and root for quick, honest multi-stakeholder involvement in this matter.
By Cliff Abenaitwe
clifflyk@gmail.com
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