Alliance One donates water kiosk in Urambo

TABORA: ALLIANCE One Tobacco Limited (AOTL) has donated a water kiosk that will serve some 6000 residents of Kitega Uchumi Ward on the outskirts of Urambo District town in Tabora.

The District Commissioner Elibariki Bajuta said recently when opening the 34m/- water kiosk that the residents of the area will now stop walking a longer distance searching for water.

“I believe that, from now onwards you will no longer be trekking long distances in the wee hours of day, in search of safe and drinking water as you are now sorted,” Mr Bajuta, a former Assistant Commissioner for Conservations, said. The kiosk comprising the borehole and its relevant building costing 34m/-, will serve more than 671 households, which were water barren for many years.

He warned village leaders not to sell water from the kiosk, saying the freely donated generosity should be freely accessible to all villagers without any form of discrimination.

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“Once I find out that this water is on the contrary sold to these women in this area, I will begin with you Mr chairman, and I hope you know very well what I mean by that,” he said adding that, the leaders should also ensure they closely look after the kiosk to keep it safe and sound for the better for longer period.

AOTL Leaf Director for Production David Mayunga, said the donation was in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility programme, which covers health, education and the environment.

“Before undertaking this project, we did a bit of hydrological research here and discovered that the need for water surpassed more other needs for these people here,” he said.

The assistance package included the drilling of a water borehole with a 150-meter depth, the construction of a water tank tower as well as laying down a distribution network into some streets of the community.

Urambo District Water and Environment Manager of Petro Kisasi said water availability and connectivity in the district currently depends mainly on seven water wells across the district.

“In total, these seven wells have the combined capacity to produce 388 cubic meters per day, while the total water requirement is around 3600 cubic meters per day’” he said.

Kitega Uchumi Village Chairman Fredrick Alloyce said initially the ward depended on water from shallow wells, whose water is not safe and they are always seasonal, running out of water in dry seasons, hence they used to walk long distances in search of water.

“Alliance One have indeed rescued our wives and ourselves, as we used to spend so much time of the day in search of water,” he said.

A resident of Kitega Uchumi, Rosemary Yusuph said it seems a miracle that they are now drawing water from the kiosk free of charge.

“This water is safe for drinking, we have it right here in the village and we pay nothing, unlike before when we used to buy water which was on sale like any other commodity,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Urambo DC has directed all tobacco buyers in the district to pay farmers their dues not less than two weeks after buying the crop.

“Those who will not make it in two weeks, we will not hesitate to intervene by impounding their vehicles as well as clamping down their offices,” he said.