NWSC Briefs Museveni on AFCON Water Supply Plans for Hoima, Masindi

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) has briefed President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on plans to strengthen water supply in Hoima, Masindi and Kabalega International Airport ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The briefing was presented by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, who chairs the National AFCON Task Force, during a meeting with Museveni at State House Entebbe on Tuesday.

Uganda will co-host the tournament with Kenya and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027, in the first edition of AFCON to be jointly hosted by three countries.

Nabbanja said water supply works at Hoima City Stadium have been completed, while interventions to stabilise water supply across Hoima City are 32 per cent complete.

The meeting was attended by NWSC Managing Director Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha and other sector officials.

The programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment through NWSC and is intended to provide dedicated water supply to stadiums and hospitality facilities while strengthening supplies in host cities ahead of an expected increase in visitors.

At Hoima City Stadium, the water system is supplied by two boreholes at Mparo and Kyarwiru, which produce 25 and 15 cubic metres of water per hour respectively.

Both boreholes have been developed, connected to the stadium and commissioned, giving the venue an independent water supply from the city network.

The wider Hoima City project is designed to add 2,000 cubic metres of treated water per day to the city’s network.

The first component includes construction of a 2,000-cubic-metre-per-day water treatment plant at Kafu-Rwoga, a 2.9-kilometre raw-water pipeline and a 300-cubic-metre balancing reservoir.

The second component involves construction of a permanent intake on River Kafu and a 22-kilometre treated-water pipeline from Kikuube to Hoima City.

According to the progress report presented to Museveni, excavation and concrete blinding for the treatment plant units have been completed, as have surveys of the pipeline routes.

Excavation for the river intake is 90 per cent complete, power extension to the project sites stands at 50 per cent, while steel reinforcement and concrete works for the treatment plant are at 15 per cent.

The next stages include procuring pumps for the Kafu treatment plant and beginning structural walling for the plant’s aerator, clarifier and filter units.

NWSC’s original assignment covered water supply to Hoima City and the stadium, but the AFCON Secretariat later requested the corporation to extend services to Kabalega International Airport and improve supply in Masindi Town.

For the airport, NWSC proposes increasing the capacity of the Kafu treatment plant from 2,000 to 3,000 cubic metres per day.

The plan also includes construction of a 36-kilometre bulk water transfer main with a nominal diameter of 200 millimetres and a 200-cubic-metre reservoir at the airport.

Kabalega International Airport is still under construction. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority previously reported substantial progress on the first phase, while the passenger terminal, which forms part of the second phase, is expected to be completed in 2027.

In Masindi, the proposed interventions include upgrading the Katam-Kyema pipelines, installing electromechanical pumping equipment and extending water supply to Masindi Stadium and a designated tournament hotel.

The airport and Masindi components are each at five per cent, according to the progress report.

Nabbanja said surveys for the relevant pipelines had been completed and the works scoped, adding that the airport component is ready for procurement once the required funds are released.

The total cost of the water interventions is estimated at Shs22.15 billion, of which Shs6.25 billion has been secured and is financing civil works under the first component of the Hoima project.

A further Shs15.9 billion has been requested from the AFCON Secretariat and the President to finance the outstanding works, including the airport extension, treatment plant upgrade, Masindi interventions and the second component of the Hoima project.

Nabbanja said the works are scheduled for completion by February 2027, about four months before the tournament begins. The progress report, however, does not indicate whether that deadline is conditional on the release of the outstanding funds.

The briefing comes as preparations for AFCON 2027 enter a critical phase, with CAF recently conducting an eight-day inspection of key facilities in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

The inspection covered stadiums, training facilities, hotels, airports, transport and other tournament infrastructure.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has also urged the three host countries to accelerate preparations, saying the tournament was approaching with major infrastructure and operational requirements still to be completed.

The 2027 tournament will open on June 19 and conclude with the final on July 17, with Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania guaranteed places as co-hosts.

Email:homelandnewspaper@gmail.com