Crocodiles kill five persons at Ilamba dam

The villagers solely depend on water from the dam for domestic use, explains Chairman of Kitilo Street in Ilamba village, Utufilo Mwambija.
He said apart from the reported deaths, there are several people who have been injured by the crocodiles and that even though the matter has been reported to authorities within the district, so far, no efforts have been done to solve the problem.
“We don’t have another source of water…we can only get water from the dam,” he said appealing to the government to provide them with alternative water sources.
He said the crocodiles also attack their livestock such as goat, sheep and cow which they also water at the dam; “this affects our financial standing,” he decried.
“The situation is critical, we have lost our children, our wives and oue livestock,” he lamented.
One of the residents, Jackson Mwaikwila said the villagers are now forced to search for the precious liquid from unhygienic sources since the number of crocodiles at the dam has increased.
“Concerted efforts are needed to rescue the lives of our people,’ he appealed.
He called on Busokelo constituency Member of Parliament, Fredy Mwakibete to step in and help find alternative sources of water.
Some interviewed women, Lugasa Ntukwa and Tuligwala Ngose said they are forced to walk long distances everyday in search of water.
“We can’t fetching water at Ilamba dam, it puts our lives in danger,” she said.
“There are too many crocodiles at the dam…we are forced to go as a group whenever we want water so that others can stand watch but even that doesn’t help,” they said.
Reacting, Busokelo MP, Fredy Mwakibete admitted that he is well aware of the water challenges of the village and that plans are underway to provide them with water from other sources.
Mwakibete said that a feasibility study was conducted in 2008 and some 100m/- was estimated for the implementation of a water project there. The legislator appealed to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism to harvest the crocodiles to reduce their numbers.
He however offered no details as to the funding sources of the said water project, when it would start or when it would be completed neither the scope nor the water source.