Kabeya-Kamuanga: Mupompa Residents Have Been Without Drinking Water for More Than Three Months

Nearly 29,000 people in Mupompa, in Kabeya-Kamuanga territory of Kasai-Oriental, have been left without drinking water for more than three months after the village's borehole stopped working.

The borehole had provided households with clean, accessible water for several months. Since the breakdown, residents have had to travel long distances to collect water. Godefroid Kalonji Kabula Mpuka, the village chief, said the community had been forced back to its former habits.

“Here, we have no drinking water. Since the faulty part was taken away, there has been no follow-up to this day. We have returned to our old habits of fetching water from the river. The change in water is exposing us to waterborne diseases,” he said.

Provincial Minister for Water Resources and Electricity Charles Kamanga said the problem involved the pump's alternator. The operator managing the mini-grid has removed the defective part for rewinding before a possible return to service.

Women are bearing much of the burden, returning to traditional wells and rivers, with children also exposed to the associated health risks. Local authorities say they are monitoring the situation, but no repair date has been announced. Residents are calling for a quick intervention to restore the water supply that had improved daily life.

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Here, we have no drinking water. Since the faulty part was taken away, there has been no follow-up to this day. We have returned to our old habits of fetching water from the river. The change in water is exposing us to waterborne diseases.