Kaabong residents decry limited access to social services

Kaabong, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents in Kaabong district have expressed concerns over limited access to social services.

The communities in the sub-counties of Kalapata, Sidok, and Kakamar lack access to essential services such as health , education, and roads among others.

Robert Lokaliboye, a resident of Sidok sub county says that they walk for more than 80 kilometers to cross to the nearby sub-county in Kotido district to access some of the services like health and education.

According to Lokaliboye, they lack access roads in the community and their routes have always been through the bushes. He adds that insecurity has worsened the situation as they can no longer walk long distances in search of services.

Jeremiah Lokuda, another resident says the government has always promised to improve service delivery, all in vain.

“I feel it is a mockery for anyone to ask about our problems here, many officials have been coming to document our challenges, they promise us big but when they go back that is the end,’’ Lokuda asked.

Godfrey Pulkol, the male youth councilor representing Kaabong district says many of the challenges have been presented before the council and they are struggling to address them.

Pulkol noted that sub-counties like Kalapata and Kakamar are most affected mostly in terms of access roads because of their mountainous terrain.

Jino Meri, the LCV Chairperson for Kaabong district says that the district is struggling to address the challenge, but they lack funds.

Meri said that the social interventions are underfunded and the revenue sources are also very few restraining real impact on the poor.

Meri also attributed the low development in Kaabong to the current insecurity that has scared the development partners from working in the district.

“Most of our support comes from NGOs but due to insecurity and the negative reports about Karamoja sub-region, all the development partners have been scared away’’ Meri said.

Meri appealed to the development partners to join hands with the local government to see how best they can rescue the vulnerable communities.

Kaabong district has 19,714 households with a projection of 125,000 people, 32 government primary schools, two secondary schools, one tertiary and Nursing school, and eight health centers.

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