▁a ▁demand ▁driven ▁approach ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁did ▁not ▁change ▁the ▁situation ▁much . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁the ▁government ▁began ▁a ▁process ▁of ▁decent ral ization , ▁giving ▁the ▁country ' s ▁ 3 0 ▁districts ▁more ▁reven ues ▁and ▁decision - making ▁authority . ▁District s , ▁which ▁were ▁already ▁nomin ally ▁the ▁own ers ▁of ▁rural ▁water ▁infrastr ucture , ▁now ▁began ▁to ▁develop ▁their ▁capacity ▁to ▁plan ▁and ▁execute ▁infrastr ucture ▁projects . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁local ▁government ▁in ▁the ▁Northern ▁By um ba ▁Province , ▁inspired ▁by ▁similar ▁experiences ▁in ▁neighbor ing ▁U g anda , ▁contract ed ▁out ▁service ▁provision ▁to ▁the ▁local ▁private ▁sector ▁in ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁public - private ▁partners hip . ▁Following ▁that ▁local ▁experience , ▁the ▁government ▁eventually ▁abandoned ▁its ▁policy ▁of ▁community ▁management ▁and ▁decided ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁to ▁promote ▁local ▁public - private ▁partners hips ▁following ▁the ▁" By um ba ▁model ". ▁With ▁the ▁backing ▁up ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁government , ▁districts ▁thus ▁compet it ively ▁bid ▁out ▁and ▁signed ▁contract s ▁with ▁private ▁service ▁prov iders ▁throughout ▁the ▁country . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ 1 4 0 ▁rural ▁pip ed ▁water ▁systems ▁( 2 5 % ▁of ▁the ▁total ) ▁were ▁managed ▁through ▁public - private ▁partners hips . ▁In vest ments ▁in ▁rural ▁water ▁supply ▁increased ▁substantial ly ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁leading ▁to ▁an ▁increase ▁in