Kaoyangor valley dam located in Kapeeta Sub County in Kotido district has remained idle, three years after it was constructed in 2020.

The issue came up during a visit of the parliamentary committee on Agriculture, animal industries and fisheries, which have been traversing the region to assess the status of water for production facilities in Karamoja.

The committee that jetted into the region on Friday last week has so far visited districts of Amudat, Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and finalized with Abim district on Monday.

In Kotido, Kaoyangor dam that was part of the nine projects designated in 2019 by MAAIF to be constructed in all the nine districts of Karamoja was created with the aim of   addressing issues of water for livestock and farming in the region.

However, three years later, the dam has since remained idle and incomplete with a community of about 12,000 people unable to utilize it.

Paul Komol Lotee, Kotido district chairperson says the poorly constructed and incomplete dam is shallow with low water levels below the required amount of 3million cubic liters.

Cue//…Lotee Komol eng

Kotido resident district commissioner Ambrose Onoria says the dam was never officially handed over to the district, and some locals were forced to start using it out of desperation.

Cue//…Onoria eng

Janet Grace Akech Okirimoe, the chairperson parliamentary committee on Agriculture says in almost all the districts they have visited, the status of the water production facilities is appalling with little accountability given.

Akech says they will compile their report and make recommendations accordingly.

Cue//…Akech eng…