Otuke East MP Achon Julious drills borehole for Odike Alimokuc village
By Ongwech Ronald Alele
OTUKE — Residents of Odike Alimokuc Village in Ating Parish, Orum Sub-county, Otuke District have received a new borehole drilled by Otuke East MP Julius Achon Bua.
The borehole, commissioned on November 14, 2026, serves about 100 households and is expected to reduce reliance on unsafe water sources.
For years, residents say they fetched water from streams and open wells shared with animals, a situation that exposed them to waterborne diseases and forced children, especially girls, to walk long distances to fetch water.
“We have been suffering for so long. Our people were drinking from streams and open wells shared with animals. Honourable Achon Bua is the only MP who has remembered us. He is the only one solving our problems,” said Mr Patrick Eyen, the LC1 chairperson of Odike Alimokuc Village.
Mr Gorege Odongo, chairperson of the borehole committee, urged residents to take ownership of the facility to ensure its sustainability.
“This borehole is ours now. We must form a strong maintenance system so that it serves our children and grandchildren. We should not wait for the government to repair it when it breaks down,” Mr Odongo said.
Ms Polly Okori, a resident, said women and children would no longer walk long distances in search of water.
“Our children used to miss school because they had to fetch water from far away. Now life will be easier. We thank our MP for listening to us,” Ms Okori said.
The borehole is part of Mr Achon’s broader initiative to expand access to clean water across Otuke East. According to reports, the legislator has facilitated the drilling of about 157 boreholes over the past 11 years, with each facility valued at about Shs25 million. In October 2026 alone, three new boreholes were commissioned across Otuke and Alebtong districts, bringing the total to about 160.
Mr Achon has said his priority is to ensure that no resident continues to suffer from water scarcity, particularly in the context of climate change. He has also appealed to beneficiaries to protect the facilities and use them responsibly.
The legislator’s water initiative extends beyond borehole drilling. In September 2026, he committed Shs75 million of his personal resources toward three boreholes in Otuke, and he has pledged to expand the programme to all districts in Lango where water shortages persist.
Local leaders in Orum Sub-county said other villages are still waiting for similar interventions and called on other leaders to emulate the Otuke East legislator.
“Honourable Achon Bua has shown that leadership is about service. We want other leaders to copy his example,” said a youth leader in the sub-county who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by local council leaders, borehole committee members, and residents from across Ating Parish. The borehole has been fenced and equipped with a hand pump, with a water user committee established to oversee maintenance.
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