Communities settling adjacent to the Kabwoya-Kaiso-Tonya wildlife conservation area in Kikuube and Hoima districts can now access clean, safe drinking water after the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) installed more than 600 rainwater harvesting tanks to supply them.
The tanks of 5000-10,000 litre capacities were given to households and institutions, including health centers, police, and churches, at a free cost.
Raymond Kato, the Senior Warden for Kabwoya-Kaiso-Tonya Wildlife Conservation area, says the project is part of the efforts to address human-wildlife conflicts in the area.
“The major aim was to end conflicts between humans and wildlife because people were fetching water in parts of the conservation area and the lake, and could end up being attacked by crocodiles. Others could go to the conservation area to fetch water and go with trap wires to poach animals. The installation of these tanks will help combat these conflicts’’ Kato said.
Santo Oyer, a fisherman at Kyehoro landing site in Kikuube district, says that he was relieved after the tank was installed near his house. He says fetching water from the Lake is like a death sentence because of crocodiles, which attack children and women.
‘‘Access to safe and clean water at the lake has been a problem for years. We have lost people to crocodile attacks when they are fetching water. We need more tanks because the population is growing at a high rate’’ he said.
Juliet Asaba, a resident of Kaiso landing site in Mbegu Parish, Kabaale sub-county in Hoima district, says the initiative will help combat water-borne diseases that are common in the area.
Geofrey Kumakech, the Kaiso B-LCI Chairperson in Kabale sub-county in Hoima, says that, before the installation of the water tanks, the more than 3,000 people in his area were being served by only one borehole, which was not adequate to supply safe drinking water.
The installation of tanks has helped many people, but there are not enough. We need more because we are many. The whole fishing village depended on one borehole’’ Demaya said.
Richard Kugonza, the in charge of Kikuube Health Center IV in Kikuube District, says the health facility, which has been grappling with access to water, got six rainwater harvesting tanks under the initiative, which have been installed in strategic places like the maternity ward, laboratory, theater, outpatients’ and inpatients’ wards.
He says that the health center, which serves a catchment area of over 20,000 people, had challenges with water,r adding that the installation of the tanks will help serve patients, attendants, and health workers at the facility.
The water tanks have come at the right time because our only water supply was faulty, and we had a water crisis. We serve a bigger population, and our operations need water for proper sanitation and other key activities in the theater, laboratory,y and maternity ward. We appreciate Uganda Wildlife Authority for considering our health facility’’ Kugonza said.
The Head Teacher of Kikuube Union Vision Secondary School in Kikuube District, Mr. Mbabazi Christopher, says the installation of the seven tanks at the school has saved over 500 students and community members who have been scrambling for access to clean water from a single community borehole. He says, poor access to water is to blame for poor academic performance in the district since learners trek long distances to access water sources.
Our students have been spending three hours lining up for water at the borehole, and this has resulted in late coming, wastage of time, and poor performance. We used to get reports of conflicts between students and the community because of the water. We are now safe because we are harvesting water here’’ Mbabazi said.
Thereza Tibangaina, a 76-year-old resident of Nyakabale village, Kabwoya Sub-County in Kikuube, was given a tank, which she says has saved her from buying water per day. She adds that she used to walk over 5 Kilometers to fetch water from a community pond where water is also shared with animals.
‘‘As an old woman, I had reached the extent of failing to buy a jerry can of water at Shs 500 per day. I no longer have the energy to walk and fetch from our community pond. The water there is not safe because we share it with animals. She is happy that with the tank installed in her own house, water access is easy, ” she said.
Vincent Alpha Opio, the Kikuube LCV Vice Chairperson, says the initiative is a big boost to water coverage in the area. He says that most residents in the area trek long distances to access clean and safe drinking water, while others get water from Lake Albert, which is not safe for consumption.
Hillary Tumusiime, the Hoima district Secretary for Health and Social Services, explained that the district will continue to work with Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to promote various initiatives aimed at supporting communities in the area.
According to the Hoima District water report, safe water coverage increased from 74.29% in 2024 to 75.07% in 2025.
The Kabwoya Kaiso-Tonya Community Wildlife Conservation Area is situated in Kabwoya and Buseruka sub-counties in Hoima and Kikuube districts. The Kabwoya-Kaiso Tonya wildlife conservation area was gazetted in 1980 and became a wildlife reserve in 2002.
The reserve is situated within the Western side of the Albertine Rift Valley between the breathtaking Blue Mountains of the Congo and Lake Albert and covers an area of 8,700 Kilometres.
The reserve accommodates mammals like Uganda kob, waterbucks, bushbucks, warthogs, baboons, chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, and Black and White Colobus monkeys, among others. The reserve also accommodates over 460 species, including Albertine Rift endemics, among others-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
