Juba suburb residents decry water shortage

Residents of Gbuduge, on the south-eastern outskirts of South Sudan’s capital, Juba, say they are facing a severe water shortage after a borehole hand pump broke down.

The water point serves more than 1,000 people in Rejaf Payam, Juba County, Central Equatoria State.

Several residents who spoke to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday appealed for assistance to repair the pump.

Angelina Akotweng said residents had been walking for about an hour to fetch a 20-litre jerrycan of water for the past four days.

“Our hand pump water system broke down four days ago. We have been walking for about an hour to fetch water from a nearby area,” she said. “We are really suffering. We appeal for help to repair the broken pump.”

Another resident, Nyandeng Kiir, said the shortage is causing hardship and contributing to local tensions.

“Women are really suffering. To get water from this broken borehole, one has to spend at least an hour filling a single jerrycan or walk for an hour to a nearby village. This is creating conflict and suffering,” she said.

Daniel Deng Deng Anyang, the area chief, said residents lack the resources to repair the pump themselves.

“After the hand pump broke down four days ago, I reached out to the Payam administration, but they said they had no budget. So we have to raise the money ourselves and ask them to repair it,” he said.

He said an amount of 3.5 million South Sudanese pounds is needed for spare parts and labour, but residents had so far raised only 300,000 pounds.

Deng appealed for assistance, saying the community is struggling because of the shortage.

Access to safe drinking water is recognised as a human right, but remains a challenge for many people in South Sudan.

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