By Priscilla Owomugisha,
RUKUNGIRI:
At least two suspects have been arrested in Rukungiri District on suspicions of vandalizing equipments belonging to the National Water and Sewage Corporation Kahengye water project.
The suspects are Kenneth Muhumuza,27, a resident of Kijungu Mbarara City and Umar Niwamanya, 30, a resident of Kekuubo Kabale municipality.
They were arrested in Lundra Lodge in Buyanja Town council during a joint police operation. Their arrest followed a tip off to the RDC and National water and Sewarage corporation from concerned residents.
Upon their arrest, police recovered gate valves Model BN-200 and other equipment valued at over 10 million shillings. One of the suspects Umar Niwamanya is a telecom technician
Engineer Julius Rutebemberwa, the technical supervisor NWSC Rukungiri branch said the valves are an essential component of the ongoing works to extend the long-awaited water supply from the Kahengye water project to Rukungiri Municipality.
He says that this is the fourth time unknown people have vandalized their equipments making them incur losses estimated at over 40 million shillings
Vandalism according to Eng Rutebemberwa causes delays in the completion of the project.
The Kahengye water project was commissioned by the president Museveni in 2016.
The 44b shillings project was contracted to an Indian engineering company,Technofab Engineering Ltd to be completed within a period of one year. However, the project was later contracted to two new other contractors after the Technofab contractors breached terms of contract to complete the project by 2018.
When completed, the project will provide safe water to the sub-counties of Kebisoni, Buyanja, Rukungiri municipality, Bugangari and Nyakagyeme all in Rukungiri district and some parts of Ntungamo district.
