NWSC: Top Water officials linked to smear campaign

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KAMPALA — The National Water and Sewerage Corporation is reeling in some negative publicity again, with its management coming out to clear the air after allegations or impropriety and staff misgivings came to the fore.

The corporation has since dismissed the allegations on salary misgivings saying in an official statement.

“NWSC has a clear salary structure, ranging from SC1-8. Staff are recruited and later on promoted to different scales, based on their performance level and experience. It is not about having the same roles and responsibilities. It is about how one performs their roles and responsibilities”.

Information has now emerged that that the allegations about salary misgivings is handiwork of some officials inside the organization “who feel that they should be promoted irrespective of work efforts and meeting of set targets”.

“There are also staff who feel they are well connected and their promotion should not be linked to performance level,” a junior staffer said, but preffered not to be named because she’s not authorised to speak to the media.

When we contacted some members of senior management at NWSC informed this online publication that the Managing Director Dr. Silver Mugisha’s leadership style puts emphasis on business growth so that salary enhancements have a sustainable foundation while also meeting government expections on service targets.

A senior official explained:
“Because of that approach, payment of gratuities and staff allowances take into consideration the other competing priorities, mostly relating to implementation of capital projects to serve more Ugandans”.

The official explained that that is how the corporation in that last 7 years has increased customer connections from 300,000 to 800,000; the asset worth from UGX 650Bn/- to UGX 3.9Tn/-; the annual turnover from UGX 150Bn/- to UGX 470Bn/- and water network length from 6,500Kms to 20,000Kms.

Other NWSC senior managers contend that staff salaries, statutory payments and other critical commitments directly relating to cost of producing services are paid promptly, and the recent misgivings are targeted blackmail.

It has now emerged that having failed to pin the organisation’s top managers on performance and good corporate governance, old political rivalry targeting the MD Dr. Mugisha have now decided to regurgitate the same old allegations of impropriety.

Some of the rivalry tried to stop Dr. Mugisha’s appointment as MD in 2013, and now occupy top offices in the ministry of water and hope that by reproducing allegations that were investigated by the NWSC Board and found to have no merit, they can find a line to fight afresh.

NWSC under the stewardship of Dr. Silver Mugisha has witnessed exceptional performance.

NWSC has registered an increase in its coverage from 58 towns in 2013 to over 256 towns, with a service coverage of 84 per cent within the municipality boundaries, 54 per cent outside the municipality boundaries and 74 per cent within and outside the municipality boundaries (overall).

Its water pipe network has also been expanding by over 2,000 Km annually, with the utility laying 2,021Kms in the FY 2017/18 and 2,727 Km in the FY 2018/19.

The corporation, whose success story is one of the most inspiring in President Museveni’s Uganda, has also undertaken several Water Supply Improvement interventions such as installation of water pumps, drilling of boreholes and laying of transmission lines to boost water production and improve supply reliability.

For such and more accomplishments, NWSC has won several accolades including the Golden European Award for quality and commercial prestige (Geneva, Switzerland 2014), the Global award for perfection, quality and ideal performance (Berlin, Germany, 2014), African Water leaders Award for 2014/15, African Water Utility of the Year Award 2013/2014, Quality and Customer Care Award, Century International Quality Award ERA, Golden Award (Geneva), Best Government Agency On Social Media 2016 and PPDA Award 2014.

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) is a public utility company 100% owned by the Government of Uganda. The Corporation was established in 1972 under Decree No: 34. At its inception in 1972, the Corporation operated in three (3) major towns of Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe.