Residents in Kyegegwa town council are accusing the authorities for failing to provide them with water and construct public toilets. For the past five months, there has not been water in the town council forcing the residents to consume dirty water. The price of a jerry can of water also costs 700 shillings.
In November last year, three boreholes broke down and the town council water and sanitation department, promised to construct other boreholes. They also promised to construct two toilets at Kyegegwa central market and the taxi park, but nothing has been done.
The hygiene in the market and taxi park is so appalling. Human waste is deposited in polythene bags and thrown near restaurants and shops. The traders are now forced to use the toilets of Kyegegwa Preparatory School, those at the district headquarters and at the police post.
Last week, the town council health department ordered all the restaurants in the market and Taxi Park to close because of the unhygienic conditions but when Uganda Radio Network went there, some were still operating.
Evelyn Kabahumuza, a trader in Kyegegwa central market says that they pay 30,000 shillings every month to the council for rent but she is surprised that the town council can not construct latrines.
She says that at times she makes losses because of the bad stench, which forces her to close her business.
Peter Busobozi, a taxi operator at the taxi park says that pleas to the council authorities to construct the latrines at the park have fallen on deaf ears and people with businesses will contract diseases.
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Ben Isagara, the chairperson of the taxi drivers threatens to stop paying revenue to the council until the toilets are constructed. At Kyenjojo Health Centre IV, cases of dysentery and cholera are on the increase resulting from the poor sanitation in the town.
Richard Musinguzi, the health assistant says most of the patients admitted are women and children. He says that the hospital receives more than five cases of dysentery and cholera daily.
Musinguzi says that he has joined hands with the residents to demand for water and construction of toilets. However Frank Ategeka, the deputy Mayor says that the funds for constructing the toilets and water sources are available but the company which was contracted to construct them has not yet started work.
Ategeka says that the company was supposed to start work last month. He says that the town council is planning to contract another company to carry on the works.
