KATAKWI, July 4, 2024 – Livestock farmers and leaders in Usuk Sub-county, Katakwi district are crying foul over the vandalism of the Shs 1.4 billion Adai Valley Dam purposely constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] to provide water for the animals.
The 40,000-cubic litre dam located in Opoyongo village was constructed in the 2020/2021 financial year under the Regional Pastoral Livelihood Resilience Project [RPLRP] of the Intergovernmental Authority [on Development [IGAD] funded by the World Bank.
The objective of RPLRP enhance livelihood resilience of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in cross-border drought-prone areas of selected countries and improve the capacity of the selected countries’ governments to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible crisis or emergency.
The facility was built as a relief to livestock farmers in the villages of Opoyongo, Akuoro, Apuuton, Acurun, Opoyongo and Abwokodia who had been struggling to find water for their animals during the dry season.
The dam was also expected to curb flooding in the area since water would be entering into the dam instead of flooding into people’s homes and gardens.
However, three years down the road, the large sections of the perimeter fence that include barbed wire and concrete poles have been brought down by yet-to-be-identified community members.
Patrick Okello, the LCI Vice-chairperson Opoyongo village told this reporter that all dam installations, solar panels, batteries, windmills, and other useful items have also been stolen.
“The windmills were constructed to pump water to troughs through which livestock drink. The barbed wire was meant to prevent livestock from drinking directly from the dam so that the water is not filled with silt while the pipes were to regulate the flow water flow to avoid water wastage but all these have been vandalized,” said Okello.
Okello explained that the vandals are targeting wires and the steel from the concrete poles which are sometimes used as snares or by the children.
He added that vandalism of the perimeter fence has left the dam exposed to children and pollution.
Julius Okulangiro, a resident of Apuuton said that Adai valley dam is currently being deserted over animals’ inability to access water due to deep water canals.
However, Raphael Ojakal, Male Councillor representing Usuk Sub-county at the district council blamed BAP Eng. Company, which was contracted to build the dam for allegedly doing shoddy work.
“When the then Minister for Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries Bamulangaki Vincent Ssepijja came to commission this valley dam, the community here rejected it because of shoddy work but they were forced to receive it,” Ojakal stated.
He explained that to bring water from the dam, “there are only two loosely connected plastic pipes that dangle freely looped into the shallow metallic tabs. At this point it’s left to the herdsmen to manually fill the tab as their cattle drink”.
“What was supposed to be a concrete slab to avoid a muddy floor and also help make the cleaning of drinking areas easy was left in its natural state not different from those village water holes that spread diseases like foot and mouth as well as tick-borne,” he said.
He appealed to MAAIF to replace the installations which have been vandalised and stole and local population be sensitised about the importance of valley dams.
However, Geoffrey Omolo, LCV Chairperson Katakwi district when contacted by this reporter over the phone for a comment said that he has not yet received a formal complaint from Usuk Sub-county leadership about vandalism of Adai dam valley but was quick to condemn the vandalism.
“I am very disappointed to hear from you about the vandalism of Adam Valley Dam. Government injected huge sums of money in the establishment of the dam to provide reliable water for communities and their livestock,” Omolo told this reporter.
Meanwhile, Rtd. Maj. Godfrey Katamba, Katakwi Resident District Commissioner promised to investigate the matter when contacted by this reporter.
“Since my office is charged with the responsibility of monitoring the implementation of government programmes and projects in the district, we shall investigate this matter and have the culprits brought to book,” said Katamba.
The culprits, according to Katamba, once arrested shall be prosecuted in the courts of law for sabotaging government programmes.
https://thecooperator.news/agriculture-among-asks-mps-to-review-status-of-valley-dams/
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