NWSC signs 5-year partnership with South Africa’s Rand Water to enhance research and technology transfer.

National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) together with South Africa’s Rand Water have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create a framework for collaboration on research, technology transfer, and capacity building.

During the signing ceremony of the MOU signed at Speke Resort in Kampala, Mr. Sipho Mosai, Group Chief Executive of Rand Water, and Dr. Eng. Silver Mugisha, Managing Director of NWSC, signed the document on behalf of their respective utilities.

Eng. Mugisha said the partnership, which unites two publicly owned water utilities, is a key step toward fostering peer-to-peer learning and strengthening African water utilities’ capacity.

“This is the right direction for African utilities in developing the' do it yourself approach. We can’t wait for foreigners to come and solve our own problems. Utilities need to develop staff capacity and subsequently build self-resilience and innovation to handle complex utility challenges“ he said.

He said the MOU will facilitate a strategic partnership to address challenges such as water loss, climate change resilience, and efficient service delivery, providing a formal pathway for future, more specific, and legally binding agreements on joint projects.

As part of the terms, NWSC will lead research and development, while Rand Water will collaborate on joint proposals for innovative solutions in the water sector and technology transfer to help both utilities implement modern smart water management systems through joint benchmarking, training programs, technical workshops, and staff exchange initiatives.

Dr. Rose Kaggwa, The Senior Director Business and Scientific services at NWSC, directly in charge of implementing the agreement said that the signing ceremony is a step in the right direction towards solving Africa’s water and sanitation problems.

“In previous years, NWSC has supported many utilities. The MOU will provide a platform for NWSC to learn from Rand Water, which has developed high technology expertise in utility management.