The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Seventy-eight politicians right from the district, municipality and sub county levels in Moroto lack pit latrines in their residential premises. The politicians have named in one and half page of shame produced by the Moroto District Health Director, Dr. Hanes Lokales.
According to Dr. Lokales, most of the implicated politicians some of whom are seeking re-election are promoting open defecation in their campaigns. He says the politicians and their family answer the call of nature in open places especially along seasonal rivers.
Dr. Lokales says the absence of pit-latrines in residential premises of top political leaders makes it hard for the district to improve on the latrine coverage, which still stands at 14%.
“Leaders who could be the right people to help us mobilize the local community to dig pit-latrines also don’t have pit-latrines and it’s a big challenge for them to start speaking to the community about using pit-latrines yet they are also using bushes with the same locals,” he said.
Dr. Lokales said with the low latrine coverage in Moroto district, the fight against diseases such as hepatitis E and cholera becomes difficult because of open defecation. He said the list containing the names of the district officials who don’t have pit-latrines would be pinned on various notice boards in the public gathering so that the people will be in position to know.
John Lokiru, one of the candidates vying for Natumukathko parish councilor’s seat in Moroto municipality, says the coast of constructing a pit latrine in Moroto town high due to the poor soil texture.
“Our soil here in Moroto is too bad when you dig a pit latrine without constructing it from down, when the rains returned, the whole soil will pour and cover the pit making it hard for the poor community,” he said. Betty Nangiro, one of the residents of Moroto municipality welcomed the production of the shame list, saying it will force people to dig latrine.
“Am longing to read that shame lists because we want to expose those leaders without pint latrine yet their supposed to be exemplary to the community,” She said.
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