Habitat for Humanity Uganda (HFHU), in partnership with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), has launched an initiative to improve sanitation facilities at Owino Market, one of Uganda’s largest and busiest commercial centres.
The market serves an estimated 80,000 traders, vendors, and customers daily. However, despite the high number of users, Owino Market currently has only two toilet blocks with a combined capacity of 40 stances. This means each toilet stance serves more than 2,000 people, placing immense pressure on the available sanitation infrastructure and creating serious public health concerns.
According to Henry Kaula, the Public Health and WASH Manager at KCCA, the existing facilities are overwhelmed by demand.
“More than 80,000 people rely on these sanitation facilities every day. The pressure on the existing infrastructure is enormous, creating challenges related to hygiene, maintenance, and public health,” Kaula said.
He noted that, besides being inadequate for the market’s population, the facilities have deteriorated over time and require urgent rehabilitation. Poor sanitation conditions increase the risk of disease transmission while affecting the health, dignity, and productivity of traders and other market users.
To address the challenge, HFHU, through its Home Equals Campaign supported by Habitat for Humanity International, is funding the rehabilitation of one of the market’s sanitation blocks.
The project will renovate a facility comprising 20 toilet stances, with 10 designated for women and 10 for men, while improving accessibility, safety, and hygiene standards for users. Construction firm MoseNax Ltd has been contracted to carry out the renovation works, which are expected to be completed within 45 working days.
Speaking during the official site handover, Kaula commended Habitat for Humanity Uganda for supporting efforts to improve essential public services.
“As you can see, these facilities are in a severely deteriorated state. KCCA recognises the urgent need for improved sanitation infrastructure, but limited resources have constrained our ability to expand or rehabilitate these facilities. Government funding is largely directed towards operational costs. Partnerships such as this one with HFHU are therefore critical in helping us improve service delivery for the communities we serve,” he said.
The rehabilitation works will also include the installation of handwashing facilities and a dedicated water storage system to encourage proper hygiene practices among users.
Daphne Mandhawun, the WASH Specialist at Habitat for Humanity Uganda, said the project reflects the organisation’s commitment to promoting equitable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services in underserved urban communities.
“Access to safe, clean, and dignified sanitation is a fundamental human right. Through this intervention, we aim not only to improve the condition of the facilities but also to enhance the health, safety, and well-being of the thousands of people who depend on Owino Market every day,” she said.
Although the renovation will improve existing services, stakeholders noted that further investment is required to meet the growing sanitation needs of the market.
Given the large number of daily users, they said additional toilet facilities and continued investment in urban sanitation infrastructure will be necessary to achieve sustainable improvements.
