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Pugu residents desperate for water
2006-04-02 07:51:55
By Correspondent Nasser Kigwangallah
Residents of Pugu Ward, Ilala Municipal Council in Dar es Salaam, have expressed misgivings over concerned officials of not being adequately keen on solving the water problem, which has been affecting them for several years.
A week-long survey conducted by the Sunday Observer in Pugu Kajiungeni, Majohe, Kwa Chanzi, Dunda and Kigogo Fresh townships has revealed that an acute water was affecting the normal life of many people in those areas.
The survey further revealed that people there have never tasted running water from pipes supplied by Dar es Salaam Water and Sanitation Company (DAWASCO) since the country gained its independence 44 years ago.
Speaking to this paper, many people said regular promises made by candidates during campaign rallies were a mere ploy for securing votes.
They said in their campaign rallies, they were promised that problems affecting them, particularly the chronic water problem would be solved immediately after being elected.
’’Now they are in power, they have completely forgotten that they made promises to the people of the area,’’ said Joachim Kingale, a resident of Pugu Kajiungeni.
He added that people were left to fend for themselves, coping with the water problem as usual, with no one coming to their rescue.
Kingale said not a single deep well had been dug in the area, contributing to the long-standing problem of the people.
Musa Mkama, a Kigogo Fresh resident, said women are forced to wake up early in the morning and trek for long distances in search of water from shallow water wells belonging to some individuals.
’’That water is not fit for human consumption, but people have nothing to do but to use it for all of their domestic purposes,’’ he said.
He said on their part, water vendors had taken advantage of the drought situation the country has experienced this year by selling water to the people, at high rates.
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