Apr 20, 2026 (Nile Post/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --
The shortage of clean and safe water continues to trouble many villages in Bukomansimbi District, particularly in Bukomansimbi North Constituency, where residents are forced to share contaminated water sources with animals, putting their lives at risk.
In several villages, residents depend on valley dams and open water ponds that are also used by livestock. These sources, they say, are unsafe but unavoidable due to the lack of alternatives. In some cases, lives have been lost after individuals drowned while trying to access water from the same points.
Bukomansimbi North Constituency, established in 2015, is home to tens of thousands of people. Despite having parliamentary representation for the past decade, residents say service delivery remains poor, leaving many feeling neglected by their leaders.
The area faces multiple development challenges, including poverty, limited access to education and healthcare, poor road infrastructure, and lack of electricity. However, the water crisis remains one of the most urgent concerns.
Among the most affected villages are Kasenyi, Lwemiriti, Kawoko, Kyaziiza, Kyabamuyigga, Busabaala, Ggongwe, Kakindu, Namaliga, Makoomi, Bitetteero, Migaaju, Bakijulula, Kabangereza, and Kabandiko, located across Bukango, Kigangazzi, and Kitanda sub-counties.
Residents from Kawoko and Kyaziiza villages say they are forced to fetch water from dams shared with animals.
"Cattle drink from the same water sources we use. We fetch water as they drink. We have no access to a protected well," said David Tumwesige, a resident of Kyaziiza.
Another resident, Regina Nalwadda from Kawoko, described the dire conditions.
"Fishermen also use the same water. It contains worms, cow dung, and people even step in it because there is no proper water point."
Irene Nansamba, also from Kawoko, said access to clean water and healthcare services remains the community's biggest challenge.
During the dry season, when the dams dry up, residents are forced to walk about eight miles to River Katonga, located along the border of Bukomansimbi and Sembabule districts, in search of water. Those unable to make the journey are left with no option but to buy water at high costs.
"A jerrycan of water costs about 1,000 shillings because it is fetched from far away. Even then, the water is not clean. If you don't boil it, you cannot even use it to take medicine in case of an emergency," Tumwesige added.
Access to clean water largely depends on rainfall, leaving communities vulnerable during prolonged dry spells. The crisis has also disrupted education, as children spend long hours searching for water instead of attending school.
The LC1 Chairperson of Kawoko-Kyaziiza Village, Alex Jjunju, said leaders have made repeated promises to address the issue for decades without success.
"In 1996, when Bukomansimbi was still part of Masaka District, then Member of Parliament Hajji Ssembajja promised us two boreholes, but only one was constructed and it later broke down. In 2011, President Museveni also promised us clean water, but up to now, nothing has been done. Even the MPs who have represented Bukomansimbi North have not helped us," Jjunju said.
In 2022, at least 11 people reportedly died in water ponds, partly due to the lack of designated and safe collection points, forcing residents to access dangerous areas.
Residents say repeated appeals for assistance have yielded no results, raising fears that more lives could be lost if urgent intervention is not made.
They are now calling on government authorities, development partners, and well-wishers to urgently provide safe and reliable water sources to improve living conditions and prevent further loss of life.
COMTEX_477583563/2029/2026-04-20T01:36:15
by Zainab Namusaazi Ssengendo
Copyright 2026 Nile Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).
