The residents of Kapoeta East County in Eastern Equatoria State on Tuesday said their area has been hit by water shortage following a prolonged dry spell.
Takan Carl Peter Lolib, the youth leader in the county, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that there is competition for the few water sources left by animals and human beings and that there are no entities dealing with water and sanitation in the area.
“I am telling you there is a problem here. Animals are dying. Secondly, there is a cattle disease and you know 98 percent of people in this corridor rely on livestock and there is a shortage of water,” Lolib lamented. “Generally in Kapoeta East, when it reaches this (dry) season, there is lack of water. Right now as we speak, animals have moved to the neighboring areas like New kush towards Uganda and some are on the other side of Ethiopia but those within are seriously struggling with one or two boreholes in, Narus, Nakodok, and Nadapal.”
He added: “There is a problem already because people and animals struggle to use the few water sources and the animals are more.”
Daniel Lokale, a resident of Narus town, the headquarters of the county says the majority of the people move long distances to fetch water.
“Some people move long distances to fetch water and end up fighting at water sources. We are appealing to any organization to come and drill for us. We will direct them to the locations where there is no water,” he said.
The commissioner of Kapoeta East County, Abdallah Lokeno, acknowledged that there is a water shortage that presents every dry season.
“The water shortage is a problem to us here. We have not had any rain so all the wells have no water and are dry, even though you dig deep there is no water,” Commissioner Lokeno said. “That is why people are now running to the few boreholes. We need the government to help us with borehole spare parts to help the population.”
Luka Charles Jankarla, the state’s minister of physical infrastructure, confirms the water shortage but said the state government is working to intervene.
Kapoeta East is the county with the second largest population in Eastern Equatoria State (second only to Magwi County) estimated at 161,014 in 2020 and inhabited predominantly by pastoralists and borders Kenya and Ethiopia.