NYS to drill Sh22 million water projects in Teso North

The Teso North constituency has awarded the National Youth Service tenders for water projects worth Sh22 million in the 2020-2021 financial year.

MP Oku Kaunya said the NYS was chosen to tame cartels and fight off incompetent contractors.

“We have decided to work with the NYS because their rates are also cheaper,” he said. Local firms bidding for the jobs do not have the equipment and sometimes do shoddy jobs, he said. 

The lawmaker said priority water supply areas are Amagoro Girls High School and Malaba Youth Empowerment Centre which have been allocated Sh3 million and Sh2 million respectively. 

“Water is an essential commodity for my people. During the 2017 campaigns, I promised to ensure water availability in all parts of the constituency so our mothers do not strain so much searching for the commodity,” the MP said.

Teso North experiences recurrent water shortages. The subcounty, among Busia’s seven, ranks top among areas that face acute water shortages every year. It is hilly and rocky and long distances travelled to get water worsen the situation. 

Kaunya said water availability will help fight Covid-19 when schools reopen in January 2021. Higher learning institutions are scheduled to resume in September.

Another project expected to be implemented with the Sh22 million budget is the drilling of water at the General Service Unit camp at Akichelesit along the Malab-Angurai road.

(edited by o. owino)