Nansana Division suspends church services over sanitation concerns

28 October 2026, 12:36 pm

By Edwin Okurmu Kisa

Nansana Division authorities in Wakiso District have temporarily halted activities at Good Men Christian Church in Kazo Central Zone over concerns about inadequate sanitation facilities and the potential risk of disease outbreaks.

The church, led by Pastor Godfrey Ssemakula Mutabaganya, reportedly attracts about 150 worshippers every Sunday but lacks adequate toilet facilities following the collapse of its latrines.

Pastor Mutabaganya says the sanitation challenge is linked to a long-standing dispute with his neighbour, Jalia Najjuka Shalom, over the boundary of their respective plots of land, which dates back to 2009.

He said the dispute was taken to court, where he won a case in which Najjuka was ordered to pay him 16 million shillings. However, he said she appealed the decision and the matter remains before the courts, with the money still unpaid.

According to the pastor, rainwater runoff allegedly directed towards his property contributed to the collapse of the church’s latrines, forcing him to seek permission from another neighbour for his congregation to use their toilet facilities.

Mutabaganya said his efforts to seek assistance to address the drainage problem have been unsuccessful, with those he approached advising him to wait for the court’s decision.

He said this prompted him to begin constructing a biodigester within the church premises to address the sanitation challenge.

However, Najjuka denied directing water from her compound towards the church, saying the runoff originates from the church roof. She added that she had never put anything in place to block the water from flowing through the area.

Ssenono Ivan, a health assistant at Nansana Division, said a team from the division had previously visited the church and found that its few latrine stances were nearly full to capacity.

He said the church was advised to construct additional facilities but officials also discovered that the pastor and his neighbour were involved in a land dispute.

Ssenono said the division did not wish to interfere in the land wrangles but insisted that the church must provide adequate sanitation facilities for its congregation.

He added that officials later found the pastor excavating a pit for the proposed facility without following the guidelines previously issued by the division.

According to Ssenono, the facilities must have sufficient rooms to accommodate men, women and children. The division has since halted the construction works and summoned the pastor to obtain proper guidance from the council before proceeding.

Nansana Division Health Inspector Fatumah Nanyanzi said the church’s estimated 150 worshippers could be exposed to serious health risks if they continued attending services without access to proper toilet facilities.

She warned that poor sanitation could contribute to the spread of diseases such as typhoid, cholera and diarrhoea within the community.

Nanyanzi said the division had decided to temporarily suspend church activities until the leadership visits the council’s health department for guidance on the required sanitation standards.

Meanwhile, Fredrick Nabikamba, a health assistant at Nansana Division and Nabweru Health Centre III, said health officials acted after receiving reports about the situation.

He said the rainy season increases the risk of waterborne disease transmission, making it important for authorities to respond promptly to sanitation concerns.

Nabikamba urged community members to report health hazards to division authorities as soon as they arise. He also encouraged tenants experiencing problems with full or poorly maintained latrines to report the matter to the relevant authorities.

He questioned why tenants should continue paying rent where landlords fail to provide adequate toilet facilities or allow existing ones to deteriorate.

Nabikamba said an assessment of the site revealed that the church and neighbouring property lacked an adequate drainage channel for rainwater runoff.

He added that the division had summoned the parties to meet and seek a solution to the drainage problem, while the church is expected to follow the council’s guidance on establishing safe and adequate sanitation facilities.