President Yoweri Museveni has hailed MTN Uganda and its partners that sponsored the 2013 MTN Marathon for massive fundraising to provide safe and clean water to the people of Karamoja.
The president was speaking at the commissioning of the water project in Nabilatuk village, one of the places in the two sub-counties of Nakakapiririt district where 18 boreholes were constructed using the proceeds of the 2013 MTN Marathon.
Museveni urged the district leaders to work with Corporate companies like MTN, Stanbic, Huawei and New Vision to construct at least three boreholes in each village to increase access to clean and safe water in the district.
“I would like to urge the district leaders to work with MTN and the other partners and help these women reduce the hours they spend lining up to get water. We need to have at least three bore holes in each of the villages. Government will also construct Valley tanks for cattle in each of the 36 parishes while in the long run, we will plan to bring piped water into the towns”, President.
The project brings a new dawn to the people of Karamoja who have been experiencing water strain.
The function was attended by senior officials from MTN Uganda and its 2013 Marathon partners Huawei Uganda, New Vision, Stanbic Bank, Uganda Athletics Federation UAF and Rwenzori. MTN and partners also used the occasion to launch the 2014 Marathon.
Giving an insight into the region largely dominated by pastoralists, Mrs. Janet Museveni thanked MTN and its partners for choosing Karamoja as a beneficiary of what she referred to as a noble project that will go a long way in solving the problem of a lack of clean and safe water in Karamoja.
Speaking at the event, MTN CEO Brian Gouldie said MTN Uganda was committed to continue partnering with other Corporate Companies and with the Government of Uganda as developmental partners to spearhead life changing initiatives
Gouldie added; “We take pride in the fact that every participant who took part in the 2013 Marathon, joined hands with MTN to make a difference in the lives of the people of Karamoja. At MTN, we have over the years dedicated ourselves to the cause of improving the society we live in by harnessing the passion that we as Ugandans have within ourselves. We have done this through many avenues, including the MTN Kampala Marathon”.
Following the 2013 Marathon with the theme “Run for water” MTN Uganda and partners handed over the UShs. 400 million collected to Water Aid Uganda to implement a 6 months water project in Nakapiripit- part of the Karamoja sub region and deliver safe and clean water to the people of Karamoja. This resulted into the construction of 18 boreholes in two sub-counties.
The two beneficiary Sub Counties Moruita and Nabilatuk in Nakapiripirit that were selected due to the fact that they have the least water coverage of 34% and 46% respectively. The selection of Karamoja as beneficiary was further reinforced by the Uganda Human Development Report 2005 (UNDP 2005) which ranked Karamoja Region as the second last in the country Human Development Index of 0.24 where high levels of poverty were attributed to frequent drought and insecurity.
It was upon that basis that WaterAid was also tasked to implement the project and also to monitor sanitation and hygiene among the communities and engage them through hygiene education and promotion activities including drama shows, village improvement campaigns, and household hygiene and sanitation follow-ups in 8 villages.
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