Sewerage Overflow Threatens Health and Livelihoods in Kisoro

Village health teams (VHT) from Kisoro Municipality are raising concerns about the overflowing Kamonyi sewerage into neighboring gardens in Karumena village, Kamonyi ward, Kisoro Municipality. This environmental hazard has significantly hindered the farming sector in the area.
During a recent VHT coordination meeting at Tourist hotel in Kisoro Municipality, Miss Kitentera, a resident of Kamonyi and VHT coordinator of Northern Division, along with Peninah Secutwe, the VHT of Kisoro Hill Village, revealed that the overflowing sewerage has contaminated garden plantations in nearby communities.
They further highlighted that emptying trucks often overload untreated sewerage in unauthorized areas, leading to air pollution.
“The sewerage in Kamonyi has overflowed into our gardens, and we fear an imminent outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid, and dysentery, as well as respiratory problems like asthma and lung cancer, and other gastrointestinal issues,” the VHTs noted.
Kisoro Municipality officer Moses Akar attributed the problem to the degradation of the wetland, which has caused the sewerage to overflow. He assured the community of a short-term plan to address the issue through dredging and excavation of the sewerage system.
“The people of Kisoro are fortunate that the sewerage here is mechanically treated, unlike other areas where it is treated naturally,” Akar noted.