Summary:

• More than 50,000 residents in Nyairongo Village, Kikuube District, face severe water scarcity, relying on two boreholes, prompting concerns about safety, conflicts, and competition for water, while local leaders call for government intervention and address the challenges of a rapidly growing population.

More than 50,000 residents of Nyairongo Village in Kabwoya Sub-county, Kikuube District rely on two boreholes for their water supply, according to local leaders. During a community service event to restore a shallow well damaged by flood rains near Nyairongo trading center, residents expressed concern about the challenging situation. Jacqueline Tumusiime, a local resident, highlighted the time-consuming competition for water from the two boreholes at Nyairongo trading center, leading to conflicts and safety risks for children returning home at night. With the approaching dry season, the scarcity of alternative water sources becomes even more alarming.

Tumusiime emphasized the need for government intervention in addressing the water supply issue in Nyairongo, especially considering the rapid population growth. Hassan Mugyenyi, another resident, noted that despite the significant population increase in the past three years, essential services have declined. Nyairongo, the largest village in Kabwoya sub-county, consists of several sub-villages, and local leaders have expressed concerns about inadequate public service infrastructure.

Leaders pointed out that people working in sugarcane plantations and disputed areas of Bugoma forest have further strained the limited public service resources in Nyairongo. Mugyenyi, a human rights defender, highlighted the economic challenges during the dry season, where a jerry can of water from distant sources costs Shs1,000, making it unaffordable for many.

Residents criticized leaders for neglecting their pleas for improved services such as hospitals, schools, and water. Kabwoya Sub-county Chairman, Francis Twesige Mukooto, acknowledged the severity of the water scarcity issue but suggested that villagers follow the new demand-driven procedure for water provision. He explained the process, involving financial contributions from the community to open a bank account for constructing water sources, emphasizing the shift from the previous centralized decision-making approach.

The majority of Nyairongo residents are migrants from Greater Kigezi in southwestern Uganda who have moved to Bunyoro over the past two decades. Recent influxes include casual laborers from Busoga and Buganda, engaging in activities such as charcoal burning and sugarcane cultivation. Additionally, security concerns have risen in Nyairongo, with reports of unidentified persons found dead in the forest and sugarcane plantations over the past two years, according to local leaders.

Additional reporting by Samuel Baguma