Uganda People News: Water shortage as dry season spreads

Ultimate Media

As the dry season continues to bite in different parts of the country, a water crisis has hit Sembabule district as affecting the lives of people, poultry and livestock.

The most affected sub counties include Sembabule town council, Mateete Ntuusi, Lwebitakuli and Lwemiyaga, where several water sources have dried up.

According to district leaders, a twenty litre jerry can of water in Mateete, Sembabule Town Council and Ntuusi has more than doubled from 500 to 2000 shillings.

The Sembabule Town council chairperson Jude Kasekende says that the increase in water prices has affected 275 poultry farmers who have lost their birds. He claims that so far 500 chickens have died due to lack of water.

Kasekende explains that majority of the farmers have no money to buy water for their chicken daily. According to Kasekende, most dams have dried up and they have resorted to urban water grant but due to increased fuel prices they cannot pump water.

The district Chief Administrative officer, Charles Nsubuga Kiberu says that the water prices have affected all the institutions in the area including schools, prisons and police.

Nsubuga, however, says the district is unable to handle the situation due to a reduction in the urban water grant from government that was cut from 42 million to 28 million shillings in the 2011/2012 financial year.

He says the district needs more than two billion shillings to construct more bore halls and spring wells that can provide water all year through.