By Daniel Edyegu

THE Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) plans to construct boreholes during the rehabilitation of roads and bridges in Karamoja sub-region.

Chris Opuch, the UNRA Kotido station engineer, explained that the initiative was aimed at reducing water shortage in the region and averting conflicts between road contractors and the Karimojong tribes over water.

He said contractors had often clashed with Karimojong warriors, who barred them from accessing water sources and valley dams.

The warriors argued that construction of roads used up large quantities of water at the expense of their livestock.

“Communities argue that they would rather have bad roads than us taking away the water their animals survive on; a genuine complaint. So we have decided to construct two boreholes for every 50km stretch of road we construct,” he said.

Opuch cited the Kotido-Abim 70km road where the Jie tribe barred Excel Construction from drawing water from Kailong valley dam.

The communities went ahead to report the firm to the area politicians who instructed the company to find alternative water sources. Water scarcity, coupled with insecurity caused delays in the completion of roads, he added.

“Our contractors have to travel more than 50km in search of water. This increases the cost of construction and scares away firms from taking up construction work in the region,” Opuch said.

He pointed out that the boreholes would supplement the community water sources.

“After construction, UNRA will hand over the boreholes to the district water departments for management. Each borehole will have a water trough for the animals,” Opuch said.

He noted that since the road agency started work in the sub-region in July 2008, about 440km of roads in Abim, Kotido and Kaabong had been rehabilitated and opened.