MBALE CITY — Residents of Doko Nsambya and neighbouring communities in Mbale City have received a major boost after Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park commissioned a free community water project as part of a Shs115 million investment aimed at improving livelihoods in communities surrounding the industrial hub.
The project, which also includes the construction of a market shelter and the donation of 200 dustbins to Mbale City, was officially launched during a ceremony attended by Resident City Commissioner George William Wopuwa, Mbale City Mayor Joyce Kidulu Matuka, Industrial City Division Mayor Abdallah Madoi, Mbale Industrial City Division MP Karim Masaba, company officials, local leaders and residents.
For years, residents relied on River Namatala, swamps and shallow wells for water, while many others spent scarce household income buying water from vendors.
Resident Manisula Wegosasa said the new water points would significantly improve the community's quality of life.
"We used to fetch water from springs and other unsafe sources. Sometimes we fought over the few available taps, and buying a jerrycan of water cost us Shs500. We thank Sino-Uganda for this gift because many families could not afford clean water every day," Wegosasa said.
Sino-Uganda Public Relations Manager Kennedy Mushemeza said the company identified access to clean and safe water as one of the community's most pressing needs.
"We realised our neighbours lacked clean and safe water. That is why management decided to invest in this project. The water will be provided free of charge, while the industrial park will continue meeting maintenance and electricity costs to ensure the system remains operational," Mushemeza said.
Representing the company's management, Michael Wang said Sino-Uganda had invested Shs115 million in the community projects and appealed to residents to safeguard the facilities.
In addition to the water project, the company constructed a market shelter for vendors who previously operated in the open, targeting the more than 1,500 workers employed at the industrial park. It also donated 200 dustbins to Mbale City to strengthen waste management and improve sanitation.
One of the vendors welcomed the market shelter, saying it had restored dignity to their businesses by providing protection from harsh weather.
Mbale City Mayor Joyce Kidulu Matuka commended Sino-Uganda for extending its investment beyond industrial production to improve the welfare of surrounding communities.
"We thank our development partners, Sino-Uganda, for touching the lives of our people. They have also pledged to build a school and a health facility," Matuka said.
Resident City Commissioner George William Wopuwa urged residents to protect the new facilities, describing them as valuable community assets that should serve both present and future generations.
Mbale Industrial City Division Member of Parliament Karim Masaba praised the company for investing in its host communities and revealed that discussions were underway to expand the market shelter to accommodate more vendors.
He also pledged to support traders in forming a savings and credit cooperative (SACCO) to enable them to benefit from government empowerment programmes.
Beyond the community projects, Sino-Uganda Mbale Industrial Park has created thousands of jobs for Ugandans, reinforcing its position as one of eastern Uganda's largest industrial investments.
