The valley tank whose construction was launched in September, 2025, is one of the three valley tanks being constructed to support the planned Nangololpolon dam in Kotido district, under a project funded by the government of Uganda and the Federal Republic of Germany through Kfw Development Bank.
The project aims to strengthen drought resilience for pastoral and agro-pastoral communities by improving access to water for livestock and people, reducing distress migration, and supporting livelihoods.
By Hellen Aguyo
A section of Members of Parliament and district officials from the Karamoja Sub-region has expressed discontentment over the delayed construction of the Shs94 billion Naitakiru valley tank in Nakapelimoru Sub-county, Kotido district.
Naitakiru valley tank measuring 103 square metres long, 73 square metres wide and 5 metres deep is being constructed by the Ministry of Water and Environment under Karamoja Drought Resilience Project (KDRP).
The valley tank whose construction was launched in September, 2025, is one of the three valley tanks being constructed to support the planned Nangololpolon dam in Kotido district, under a project funded by the government of Uganda and the Federal Republic of Germany through Kfw Development Bank.
According to the officials Naitakiru valley tank with holding capacity of 20,000 cubic litres which can support 10,000 animals for a period close to two months before herdsmen relocate to Nangololpolon dam.
The project aims to strengthen drought resilience for pastoral and agro-pastoral communities by improving access to water for livestock and people, reducing distress migration, and supporting livelihoods.
However, the Members of Parliament and Kotido district leaders who visited the site on Thursday, July 2, 2026, with the officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment to assess the progress of the project were left in shock when they found out that the valley tank was incomplete.
Jie County Member of Parliament, Gabriel Achia said the government had allocated funds to the Ministry of Water and Environment to construct valley dams in the nine districts across the Karamoja sub-region.
However, to their dismay, the work is progressing at a slow pace, adding that the quality of works being done is not commensurate with the money allocated.
Achia called on the Ministry of Water and Environment to expedite the construction of the long awaited Naitakiru valley tank and others.
He observed that the people of Karamoja are badly in need of water for animals and food production because of the recurring drought in the region.
Stephenson Lokoru Yoyo, the Member of Parliament for Chekwii East County in Nakapiripirit district, expressed concern over the shoddy work and many stalled valley dam projects in the Karamoja Sub-region.
“Overall the work is about 50 to 60 percent but with a few gaps that have been identified such as weak fence around the valley tank, and poorly constructed water inlets, which need to be fixed”, Lokoru stated.
He noted that despite the government releasing billions of shillings for dam construction to support agriculture in the region over the past years, many of the dams only exist on paper.
Charles Ichogor, the Kotido Resident District Commissioner, faulted the Ministry of Water and Environment for setting up stringent conditions for the project offset, which have caused delays in the project completion.
In response to the legislators’ concerns, Eng. Kato Ronald Kayizzi, the National Project Coordinator and Assistant Commissioner, Water for Production at the Ministry of Water and Environment said that the Ministry would fix the gaps cited by the leaders before the project is officially handed over to Kotido district.
The delayed completion of Shs95 billion Naitakiru valley tank is a reflection of a bigger picture of many stalled dam projects worth billions of shilling in the Karamoja Sub-region.
The only dams that Karamoja can still be proud of are those built under the supervision of First Lady Janet Museveni, when she served as Minister for Karamoja Affairs, between February 16, 2009, to June 6, 2016.
