Struggles in Luro: 4,758 People, Only Two Boreholes, and Limited Disability Support

Luro Parish in Wandi Sub county, Yumbe District, is facing severe challenges in service delivery, as revealed during a recent Citizen Engagement Meeting. 

With an approximate population of 4,758 spread across 40 villages, the parish receives an average of only six million Uganda shillings, meaning each resident effectively gets just  approximately 1,260 UGX in funding.

Among the most pressing concerns is the dire water crisis. Shockingly, the entire parish relies on just two boreholes, leaving thousands struggling to access clean water daily. 

This has led to long queues, conflicts over water access, and increased risks of waterborne diseases.

Another alarming issue is the lack of disability support structures. Neither the Subcounty nor the parish has a designated center where persons with disabilities (PWDs) can gather to discuss development and planning matters. 

Worse still, limited consultations on issues affecting PWDs mean their voices remain unheard in key decision-making processes.

Environmental monitoring is also weak at both the parish and Subcounty levels, leaving natural resources vulnerable to degradation. Leaders admitted that the lack of structured monitoring tools has made it difficult to track environmental concerns and enforce regulations.

^{Dickens Amanya (West Nile, WENDA -ACODE team lead) making a presentation during a community engagement meeting in Wandi Sub county in Yumbe district.} 

In response, the Sub county leadership pledged to strengthen the Environment and Natural Resources Committee by incorporating monitoring tools into the next Sub county budget. 

However, concerns remain about whether these promises will translate into real action. As the community continues to grapple with these challenges, residents are calling for immediate interventions, including increased funding, better water infrastructure, and inclusive planning for persons with disabilities. 

Key to note is that the entire Wandi Sub County has neither a Health Center Two nor Three which is a mandate for every Sub County in Uganda, making the citizens to walk over 20 KM to access the only Health Center IIII facility in the neighboring Sub county of Kerwa. 

^{Heated Discussion at the CEM Sessions}

This has made uptake of ANC Services critical where in the whole of Yumbe Wandi Trading Center has a low uptake of ANC based on the current indicators on the Ministry of Health Data with a less than 10% ANC uptakes 

In another development, the Subcounty lacks any secondary (seed) school with only two government aided primary schools in the six parishes, that is to say Aligo primary school in Kobe parish and Osubira primary school in Osubira Parish. We still wonder where other parishes (Luro, Wogo, Wangoro and Wandi) get education services from. Could this be the reason why no one passed in the first grade in 2024 UPE results?

The question remains: will local leaders rise to the occasion, or will Luro Parish continue to suffer in silence?

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.

Story By: Aldo ADOMATI - dailywestnile.info