Muyinga in crisis : the water shortage paralyzes the urban center

For several weeks, residents of the urban center of Muyinga in northeastern Burundi have been facing a persistent water shortage. This situation, which disrupts their daily lives, poses health risks, and sparks anger over the controversial management of Regideso, the sole state-owned company responsible for water and electricity distribution.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

For several weeks, the urban center of Muyinga, in northeastern Burundi, has been facing a serious water shortage. In several neighborhoods, taps have run dry, forcing residents to travel long distances to collect water.

A disrupted daily life

This situation complicates the daily lives of residents, with both economic and health repercussions. Deprived of direct access to drinking water, many households must spend several hours searching for this vital resource. Some households even see their domestic workers leave, discouraged by the difficulty of performing their tasks in such conditions.

Families with internal sanitation facilities suffer particularly. Without water to ensure hygiene in their homes, nauseating odors invade some homes, making the environment unsanitary.

A growing health risk

The lack of drinking water increases the threat of diseases linked to poor hygiene, particularly cholera and dysentery. Residents fear a resurgence of these infections, especially since private healthcare facilities are not spared. Without water, hygiene conditions in these facilities deteriorate, exposing patients to serious infections.

Regideso under fire of criticisms

Faced with the crisis, Regideso, responsible for water distribution, attributes the shortage to a breakdown in the water supply pumps. But this justification fails to convince residents, who denounce mismanagement and a lack of transparency.

Local residents accuse certain technicians of corruption : they allegedly favor certain private companies, such as hotels, in exchange for bribes.

This situation fuels anger among the population, who feel abandoned by the authorities.

An urgent appeal to authorities

Residents of Muyinga are demanding rapid intervention from the authorities to end this crisis and ensure equitable access to water. They are calling for sustainable measures to prevent further shortages.

While waiting for a concrete solution, the population continues to endure this crisis, hoping that water will soon flow back to their homes.

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Women and girls at a water point in northwest Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)