VANESSA A
Residents of Karuhembe Parish in Kebisoni Subcounty, Rukungiri District, are crying out over continued water scarcity, blaming it on the unfinished Kahengye Water Project, which they say has not benefited them in any way.
The public claims that the few taps installed in the area have never produced even a drop of water, leaving them to depend on unclean sources like dams and rainwater, which are drying up as the dry season intensifies.
Speaking to our reporter, Woman Councilor for Karuhembe Parish, Iscah Tindimwebwa, decried the situation, noting that the project has only destroyed people’s property.
Tindimwebwa further explained that the area has no reliable springs, and those available tend to dry up during the dry season, leaving residents helpless.
LC2 Chairperson of Karuhembe Parish, Emmanuel Byengabo, echoed similar concerns, describing the taps as merely decorative since they have never functioned.
Byengabo highlighted the health risks residents face from using dirty dam and rainwater and called on the government to urgently intervene.
Councilor for Persons with Disabilities in Karuhembe, Charles Muwhezi, also lamented the dire situation, saying the few springs in the area were damaged and have not been functional for a long time.
Meanwhile, Derrick Bikorwamukama, a lay reader at Karuhembe Church of Uganda, raised safety concerns over an open pit left behind by engineers at the church premises. He said the tap that had been installed at the church was taken away without explanation, forcing the congregation to resort to using unclean water.
Bikorwamukama called upon the responsible authorities to at least cover the soak pit to prevent potential accidents, especially among children.
When contacted, Rukungiri District Water Engineer Deus Twekwase said the issues of leakages in the Kahengye Water Project are being addressed by the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, assuring the public that the clean water supply will resume soon.
As the dry season worsens, the people of Karuhembe continue to wait in hope for clean and safe water—a basic right that still feels like a distant dream.
