In a highly productive development, a segment of Kampala Water’s (KW) top management convened a meeting with the Contractors’ Association of National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) to address concerns regarding their working conditions and forge a path towards enhancing the working relationship. The team, consisting of the KW General Manager-Eng. Mahmood Lutaaya, Senior Manager Finance-Mr. George Opolot, Senior Manager Kampala Eastern Zone-Ms. Sarah Namuwenge, and Manager Monitoring and Evaluation-Eng. Tom Buyi, engaged in fruitful discussions aimed at rectifying the existing challenges.
During the meeting, contractors expressed their discontent over a range of issues, including payment delays spanning eight months, inadequate trenching rates considering the prevailing economic conditions and labor costs, and a shortage of materials such as pipes.
On the other hand, management expressed disappointment with the substandard work delivered by certain contractors who fail to adhere to the standard requirement of laying pipes at a depth of 3-5 feet. This irresponsible practice has contributed to non-revenue water (NRW) in some instances through direct tapping. Additionally, some contractors were found to be soliciting funds from customers, which tarnished the Corporation’s reputation.
To address these challenges, management made a commitment to reducing payment delinquencies and ensuring that contractors receive their dues promptly. In a bid to enhance convenience in payment, SM-Finance disclosed plans to introduce online payments for contractors. This new system would enable transparent tracking of payments and streamline the overall process.
Eng. Lutaaya put forward the idea of organizing training programs for contractors aimed at augmenting their capacity and fostering professional development.
Furthermore, contractors were advised to improve their documentation practices as this would facilitate smoother operations and easier monitoring of their work.
It was agreed that the Contractors’ Association would convene quarterly meetings to review the progress of the proposed solutions. This regular engagement will enable open dialogue, prompt adjustments where necessary, and ensure the improvement of working conditions for the contractors.
The Corporation is dedicated to working closely with the contractors and fostering a collaborative partnership.
