By Inyakuni Kennedy

Obongi

The residents in Obongi town council Obongi District have resorted into drinking water from river Nile due to the absence of clean and safe water points. According to the affected people 9(women) many of their productive hours in a day are spend in search of water. On the international women’s day, some of the women took to the streets of obongi town protesting over lack of clean and safe water sources saying challenge of accessing clean water has persisted for a long time.

Mrs. Naima AYurok a resident of alimara village in obongi town council said they have resort into drinking water from the Nile. She has expressed fear of getting infections from drinking river Nile which is unsafe for human consumption. “The problem is really too much, we are suffering from stomach problems which I believe is because of drinking dirty water from the Nile. We need help from the leader,” she adds.
Worldwide, diarrhea is the fifth leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years old. The leading risk factors for diarrhea among these children are unsafe water, and unsafe sanitation. The germs that cause diarrhea are commonly spread by food or water that has been contaminated with human or animal waste

Mrs. Rukia Yukua a residents of Gimara Sub County remarked that the women in the area are having sleepless nights due to the challenge of water crises in Gimara, itula and obongi town council. Mrs. Yukua has appealed to the local government and partners to rescue the situation before registering any disease outbreak in the district.

Inyakua Beatrice a female councilor representing the women of Roman ward to obongi town council says all the villages in obongi town council are suffering from inaccessibility of clean and safe water for domestic use. Inyakua adds. “This suffering is not about to end, we only have one clean water point located at the police barrack, but when you go there the police will chase you away as if the water is only for police”.
She wonders if the town council and the district have no budget for water. Inyakua has urged the local residents from the affected villages to demand for their rights and accountability from the responsible leaders in relation to service delivery.

According to reports, the pipe water that were installed obongi town council by northern umbrella have dried up. Even some of the few existing boreholes in other villages have become un-functional hence creating water crisis in many parts of the district.
Mr. Ramadan longa, a resident of obongi town council notes that the district has failed in addressing water challenges within the town council although it the same challenges in other sub counties in the district. “Women are surviving on river water from the river or well. We men we don’t feel the suffering of the women because many times we are always in town, but ready to use water when we get back home without knowing the sources of the water,” said Longa.
He said the water shortage within the town council needs an urgency for better livelihood of the local population.
According to Hassan kaps Fungaroos, the former Member of Parliament obongi consistency a life of a women without is a messed life.
Recently, Group of people in laropi town council Moyo district also protested over lack of clean and safe water in the area.

COVER PHOTO: A woman fetching water By Inyakuni Kennedy