Over 10,000 residents hit by water shortage in Buyende

Buyende, (UG): More than 10,000 residents in the sub-counties of Kidera and Bukungu in Buyende District are at risk of contracting waterborne diseases due to shortage of clean and safe water in their areas.

According to local leaders, the locals in the two sub-counties are in dire need of clean and safe water and have therefore called upon the government to intervene and have their problem addressed.

Mr Kizire Godfrey, the councillor of Kidera Town Council, says several water sources especially the shallow and spring wells have dried up while others are being contaminated by livestock and that the available boreholes suffered mechanical faults and need repair.

This was revealed over the weekend in an engagement the residents had with the Buyende District Woman MP, Hon. Nakato Mary Annet who had paid a courtesy visit to distribute maize seeds and gather public concerns during the parliamentary recess period.

Mr Kizire speaking to DailyExpress said that residents are resorting to trekking for more than 6km to fetch water from a borehole found in the neighbouring sub-county which also attracts queues for water.

“Our people suffer a lot and they move for long distances of more than 6km to access borehole water. We have a water shortage problem and the distance from one borehole to another is long and one borehole serves about one thousand people” Mr. Kizire narrated.

The Kidera sub-county Chairperson Mr. Tezikuba Patrick says that clean water scarcity is now a serious threat to the wellbeing of the residents and he attributed the problem largely to low funding from the central government.

“Sometimes our people blame the local leaders without understanding the decisions made by the centre which most of the time limit clean water accessibility due to low funding,” Mr Tezikuba said.

Locals speak out

Ms. Aisha Naigaga, a resident of Masembe village says they have one borehole and if it breaks down, they resort to fetching water from the shores of Lake Kyoga, but it is also a long distance.

“We have a problem that whenever our borehole suffers a mechanical challenge, we end up fetching water from the lake which is also a long distance. Therefore, we request the government to support us with another borehole so that we minimize the time spent queuing to access water” Ms Naigaga lamented.

What district leaders say

The Buyende district Woman MP Hon. Nakato Mary Annet speaking to this publication revealed that information from the District Water Department shows how distribution and access to clean water in Buyende is at 48.2 per cent contrary to the projected target of 80 per cent overall.

Hon Nakato, therefore, asked the government and well-wishers to come to their rescue as many have resorted to spring and well water for domestic use.

“The clean water coverage in the district is still very low if you may consider it with the projected target of 80% and it’s our prayer that the government of Uganda and other organizations come to our rescue and facilitate our people with safe and clean water,” Hon Nakato said.

Meanwhile, the MP also advised farmers to utilize the tractors which she recently delivered to them from the government, in ploughing large fields, amidst warning controllers against exorbitant charges to use the tractors.

This publication established that at least 2000kg of hybrid maize seeds to a number of farmers’ groups in the district as a way of supporting them in the line of agriculture over the weekend retreat.