NWSC Boss Silver Mugisha Pushes Back against Efforts ‘to Drag NWSC into Non-Productive Things’

The Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), Silver Mugisha, has offered insights into the corporation’s performance over the years, as he cleared the air about attempts he said were aimed at dragging the name of NWSC into non-productive things. 

Dr Mugisha explained that for 12 years he has been Managing Director at NWSC, he and his team have steered the utility forward, growing its assets from Shs600bn to Shs5000bn.

NWSC has also expanded access to clean and safe water from 4.5 million to 20 million people over the same period of time.

Connections have also increased up to one million, with pipe length increasing from 6,000 to 24,000km.

“I have been at NWSC since for about 32 years and we have tried to do things administratively right, albeit some gaps,” noted Mugisha. 

“In the last 12 years I have been a team leader, we have increased assets under management (AUM) from UGX 600Bn to UGX5000Bn; surplus from UGX40Bn to UGX162Bn; people served from 4.5million to 20million; water connections from 300k to 1million and pipe length (6,000-24,000km).”

He also explained measures undertaken to cut costs and to steer in-house solutions instead of outsourcing costly consultancies. Mugisha also revealed how NWSC has saved billions of money by insisting on least cost contractors.

“As a team leader at NWSC in the last 10 years, I have insisted on a policy of least cost capital investment options (including elimination of buying IT solutions and insisting on self-created in-house solutions; reducing engineering consultancies and using internal capacity),” he noted.

“We have also insisted on use of least cost contractors and force-account mechanisms. On 12 projects (Lyantonde, Bushenyi, Masindi, Kalungu, Sembabule, Kapeeka, Kapchorwa, Kisoro, Soroti, Lira) we spent 120bn/= compared to about 600bn/= we could have spent using traditional methods.”

Regarding the non-productive things that he said some people wanted to drag NWSC into, Mugisha said that political maneuvering in Bushenyi was fueling claims on integrity, but saluted the NRM chairman in the district for his efforts in addressing the issue.

“We have learned that the main motivation behind those trying to drag the NWSC MD in all this, is political maneuvering in Bushenyi,” he added.

“We thank NRM Chairman Hasan Basajjabalaba that has been working hard to bring peace. There is also an element of need to monetary incentives.” 

Mugisha also assured the public of NWSC’s openness to accountability, adding that he and the staff at the corporation were now focused on improving customer experiences.

“We assure the public that our offices remain open for accountability. We are currently focusing on creating improved customer experiences. We only request to be given space to reflect on serving Ugandans rather than trying to divert us to non-productive “things,” he stated.