With over a 1000 inhabitants, Kibiri has been grappling with shortage of potable water as well as inadequate supply for over 50 years.
The community’s herds of cattle and other animals such as horses, donkeys, sheep and goats have not also been spared the current predicament as some of the animals are dying due to lack of drinking water.
The community has a 50 meters deep open well where women use raw energy to draw water daily.
“We use our hands to pull heavy gallons tied to a rope from the well every day,” explained one woman who added that their lives and livelihoods have been difficult. “We have been suffering for years and need help from authorities,” she stated.
She further stated that the unavailability of water always delays their cooking, laundry and other domestic works.
Ebrima Boye, alkalo of the community, said some people had to migrate and resettle in some other communities due to their lack of adequate and clean drinking water.
Saho Boye, a member of the Village Development Committee (VDC), said authorities are not concerned about their welfare and wellbeing even though they have been voting for them.
He added that women and children are the most affected; with children sometimes being late for school because they have to queue to draw water from the deep wells to take bath before going to school.
According to them, they have brought the issue to the attention of concerned authorities but all the latter care about is their votes and not their lives and livelihood.
Some concerned community members threatened to boycott the forthcoming National Assembly elections if the issue is not addressed before April 9th.
