Chapter 22: Institutional and legal challenges to realising clean and safe water for all in Uganda

Water resources are one of the key natural resources slated to drive Uganda’s economic progress from a least developed economy to middle-income status.1 In the country, water is important for a variety of uses: domestic, production, hydropower generation, and transport, among others. Uganda is not a water scarce country. It has both transboundary and internal water sources. The country’s rivers and lakes, including wetlands, cover about 18% of the total surface area of the country.2 Uganda receives ample rainfall, which also enhances available water sources.3 The country’s most significant hydrological features include Lake Victoria and the River Nile.4 Nearly all of Uganda lies within the River Nile basin which charts its course through eleven African countries, many of which are water scarce.5 Despite the fact that water is readily available, the realisation of the human right to water and sanitation has not been achieved, particularly for the most vulnerable sectors of the population. At the same time, Uganda has not escaped the effects of climate change, which threatens its freshwater resources. Within this context, it is appropriate to interrogate Uganda’s institutional and legal framework of relevance to the provision of water and sanitation services in order to identify the opportunities and challenges that impede the realisation of the right to water and sanitation. This chapter critiques the institutional framework governing water distribution, identifying the challenges, opportunities and prerequisites for establishing a sustainable water delivery system. It argues that while existing institutions have enhanced