Uganda Urges Increased Funding For LVBC

Members of the Parliamentary Committee on East African Community Affairs in the Republic of Uganda, yesterday, promised to recommend increased Partner States financial contributions for the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC).

The Parliamentarians, who were on a two-today visit to LVBC Secretariat in Kisumu, Kenya, were responding to a brief on the operations and management of the Commission.

The Chairperson of the visiting Committee, Hon. Sarah Mwebaza (Woman Representative, Kibuku district), hailed the development partners currently supporting LVBC’s activities. She however expressed concern about the disparity between the Partner States and development partner contributions, urging a progressive increase in contributions to match the goodwill and commitment of donors.

“The Commission’s biggest budget of 94.2 percent from donors cannot be depended upon in the long term. If donors pull out on most of the useful projects I have seen, then it will come to a standstill,” Hon. Mwebaza noted at the end of the visit. “Let the Partner States increase their funding to LVBC at least by 50 percent.”

Hon. Sarah Mwebaza, welcomed the idea of having a Forum for LVBC to share information with policy-makers in the Partner States and promised her Committee’s full participation in such process.

During the visit to the LVBC Secretariat, the LVBC Executive Secretary, Dr. Canisius Kanangire, thanked the MPs for visiting LVBC. He noted that such visits would ensure that the Commission’s challenges and achievements were understood by political leaders and policy-makers. He urged the MPs to advocate for faster implementation of LVBC projects and programmes at Partner States level.

The MPs made an on-spot visit to the activities of the Lake Victoria Water Supply and Sanitation Programme Phase II (LVWATSAN II) in Mayuge town, Mayuge district in Uganda to assess the programme’s progress. The Town Clerk for Mayuge, Mr. Daniel Kasala and Ms. Juliet Kamara of the Ministry of Water and Environment, noted that Uganda was making progress but reiterated the need to support faster implementation on the ground.

As part of LVWATSAN II, Ntungamo Municipality, Mayuge town and the Kayabwe-Buwama-Bukakata cluster will benefit from several programme components including water supply, environmental sanitation, storm water drainage and capacity building.

Members of the visiting team from the Parliament of Uganda included the Chairperson, Hon. Sarah Mwebaza, Hon. Tony Ayoo (Kwania Country), Hon. Sarah Kayagi Netalisire (Woman Representative, Manafwa district), Hon. Nelson Sabila (Kongasis County), Hon. Fred Badda (Bujumba County) as well as Ms. Martha Kaganzi, Principal Clerk Assistant.