Nansana, Wakiso Warn NWSC Over Uncoordinated Pipe Installations

What the report says

Wakiso District, Nansana Municipality and the Ministry of Kampala have warned the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to better coordinate water pipe installations with planned road upgrades under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme. The concern was raised at a stakeholder meeting at Wakiso District headquarters after officials inspected the Muyomba-Kawoko-Bujjuko road and found large-diameter pipes being laid within the existing carriageway on a route already marked for widening and upgrading.

Local officials said the main problem is that pipes installed without consultation may have to be moved later, adding avoidable costs to public works. Wakiso’s technical team said similar installations are happening on other roads scheduled for improvement, while the Ministry of Kampala warned that utility relocation is already taking up a significant share of the programme budget. The article says this has drawn complaints from the World Bank, which is financing the project.

NWSC acknowledged that coordination gaps exist and said it is ready to address the issues. The meeting ended with an agreement that NWSC will formally submit its plans in writing, while Wakiso District will respond with conditional approval tied to keeping pipes outside approved road designs and clarifying responsibilities if utilities are damaged. The district also committed to sharing road design plans with the utility so future works can be aligned. In general, the dispute reflects a common urban planning challenge: roads, water lines and other utilities often need to be sequenced carefully to avoid repeated excavation and extra cost.