The unglamorous work of making institutions credible

By Marc Jaffrey , 25 July 2026
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IMPACT MOMENT  

A legal expert is reviewing a contract that decides how an essential public service – water – will serve millions of people in six regions of Uganda (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southwestern, Midwestern and Karamoja) for the next three years. As the third generation of this ‘performance contract’, it reflects a significant shift in focus: from maintaining basic systems to making sure they last. The draft contract now sits with the Solicitor General for final clearance before it is put into practice by the Umbrella Water Authorities.  
 

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IMPACT MOMENT

A legal expert is reviewing a contract that decides how an essential public service – water – will serve millions of people in six regions of Uganda (Central, Eastern, Northern, Southwestern, Midwestern and Karamoja) for the next three years. As the third generation of this ‘performance contract’, it reflects a significant shift in focus: from maintaining basic systems to making sure they last. The draft contract now sits with the Solicitor General for final clearance before it is put into practice by the Umbrella Water Authorities.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Uganda's water reaches people through different routes. In the country’s larger towns and cities, the National Water and Sewerage Corporation provides services on a commercial basis, because there are large enough customer bases to cover their costs. In rural areas, services are largely overseen by district local governments. 

Everywhere else, six regional utilities, known as umbrella water authorities, were created in 2017 to do the job instead. Each is bound to the Ministry of Water and Environment by a performance contract: a legal agreement that sets out what it must deliver, and how it will be held accountable. The first version of these contracts proved a regional utility model could work. The second, running since 2023, showed where it needed to improve. 

Now, at the dawn of the third version, the government/regulator is taking the time to get the wording and context right: because a well-written document means that when something goes wrong, there’s a clear answer for what happens next.

 

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HOW WE WORKED

The Ministry turned to Riva for support. We helped the Water Utility Regulation Department bring in a legal expert and work through the contract until it was technically robust, legally sound, and grounded in how these utilities actually operate. This kind of work is what professionalising a utility looks like in practice.

Ronald Nyakana, a Senior Monitoring Officer at the Department says: “Whereas earlier contracts mainly focused on maintaining and expanding services, what makes this contract different is its stronger emphasis on institutional strengthening. It covers areas such as sustainability and long-term performance, operational efficiency and financial viability, regulatory compliance and customer service. It also introduces refined performance targets and clearer accountability mechanisms.”

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THE HUMAN STORY

As the second-generation contract neared its end, it would have been easier to simply renew it with a few minor adjustments. However, years of working with and monitoring the performance of the authorities, and responding to emerging challenges, had revealed gaps that could no longer be ignored.

This realisation became a defining moment for Ronald Nyakana and the WURD leadership team. The decision to champion a comprehensive review of the contract required persistence, consultation, and a willingness to challenge established approaches, involving systems leadership and collective action.

As the process unfolded, Nyakana witnessed colleagues devote countless hours to assessing performance, scrutinising key performance indicators, and identifying where the contract needed to respond to emerging realities. They travelled across the country to speak with managers and staff in the authorities to ensure that the new framework reflected their experiences.

What stood out most to him, however, was the willingness of Riva and other partners to contribute technical expertise, practical insights, and constructive feedback.

“Seeing the level of commitment from colleagues, water authority managers, development partners, and others was truly inspiring,” he reflects. “Everyone brought their best to the table.”
 

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Long text (do not use!)
THE HUMAN STORY

As the second-generation contract neared its end, it would have been easier to simply renew it with a few minor adjustments. However, years of working with and monitoring the performance of the authorities, and responding to emerging challenges, had revealed gaps that could no longer be ignored.

This realisation became a defining moment for Ronald Nyakana and the WURD leadership team. The decision to champion a comprehensive review of the contract required persistence, consultation, and a willingness to challenge established approaches, involving systems leadership and collective action.

As the process unfolded, Nyakana witnessed colleagues devote countless hours to assessing performance, scrutinising key performance indicators, and identifying where the contract needed to respond to emerging realities. They travelled across the country to speak with managers and staff in the authorities to ensure that the new framework reflected their experiences.

What stood out most to him, however, was the willingness of Riva and other partners to contribute technical expertise, practical insights, and constructive feedback.

“Seeing the level of commitment from colleagues, water authority managers, development partners, and others was truly inspiring,” he reflects. “Everyone brought their best to the table.”
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WHAT'S NEXT

While clearing the contract will be a major milestone, it is only the beginning. The greater challenge will be ensuring that these institutions are efficient, accountable and sustainable. Its true success will be measured by the difference it makes to the lives of the millions of Ugandans who depend on reliable and sustainable water services every day.

 

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Making institutions stronger so water services sustain for generations
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The unglamorous work of making institutions credible
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