Mahama (Rwanda): critical lack of drinking water

SOS Médias Burundi

Mahama, February 24, 2026 – Water has become a dangerous luxury for refugees in the Mahama camp. For the past two weeks, the camp, in eastern Rwanda, has had almost no drinking water. Torrential rains in the region have damaged the water treatment facilities, forcing more than 76,000 refugees to draw water for their daily needs from the Akagera River, which separates Rwanda and Tanzania and is often polluted, or to rely on rainwater.

In the Mahama camp, deprived of drinking water for the past two weeks, refugees describe their unbearable daily life : “We drink it and use it for cooking, even though we know it’s dirty. What can we do?” “We don’t care about the consequences that await us,” explained refugees who spoke to SOS Médias Burundi, exasperated by the situation. Mahama is home to more than 40,000 Burundians who fled the 2015 political crisis, triggered by the controversial third term of the late President Pierre Nkurunziza.

A local hospital source stated that, for the moment, no illnesses related to contaminated water or poor hygiene have been reported. Nevertheless, health facilities are prepared to deal with a potential health crisis, aware of the significant risks to the population.

The camp administration assures that the damaged facilities will be repaired very soon. A pumping well is also being constructed, but the refugees remain skeptical about its capacity to serve a constantly expanding camp.

The war in eastern DRC, between the Congolese army and the M23 movement, has triggered a new wave of arrivals at the Mahama camp, further exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and putting pressure on basic infrastructure, particularly the drinking water supply.

Faced with this situation, refugees are denouncing inadequate and delayed management, warning of serious health risks that could affect thousands of people if no swift solution is found.