MP Acon Takes Water to Villages, Says Leaders Shouldn’t Wait for Government

What the report says

Dokolo Post reports that Julius Acon Bua, the Member of Parliament for Otuke East County, has started drilling three boreholes in villages across Otuke District using his personal salary. The project is presented as a Sh75 million effort to ease shortages of clean water and reduce the health risks linked to unsafe sources.

According to the article, the work began on August 2 at Barapua Village in Atira Parish, Ogwette Sub-county, and is set to continue to Okwalonyim Village in Omwonyolee Parish, Ogor Sub-county, before ending on August 4 at Acoke Village in Okwongo Town Council. Each borehole is said to cost about Sh25 million.

Acon told the reporter that changing weather patterns have made life harder for many families and have increased concern over waterborne illness. He argued that local leaders should not wait for central government funding before responding to community needs, and said people who can afford it should step in where possible. He also asked residents to protect the boreholes by fencing them and setting up management committees.

The report says Acon intends to extend the initiative to other villages in Otuke East County facing similar water challenges. More broadly, the story reflects a common local-government issue in Uganda, where access to safe water can remain limited in rural areas and private or political patronage sometimes helps fill infrastructure gaps.