By Kidega Livingstone
Residents of Juba Nabari West, Block 2 are increasingly concerned about the flood water that surges through their neighbourhood during the rainy season.
The rushing water, which flows from the Simoni Jada Bridge, has affected thousands of households, causing displacement of many people after it destroyed houses.
Alfred Buru, a 50-year-old father of ten children, found himself homeless after the floodwaters brought down his family’s home last week.
“I’ve lived here since my children were born, but the rain has brought me nothing but problems,” said Buru.
“The noise of one of the buildings collapsing was the only thing that saved us. Now I have no home because of the running water that destroyed it.”
Buru is not alone. The raging waters have swept away a concrete building in his neighbourhood, and even graves have been washed away.
“We are urging the government to come up with a plan to rescue the thousands of people who are going to be affected like me,” Buru added.
Asunta Wilson, a mother of six, said the stormwater problem has been worsening over the past year.
“The government needs to do something, or all of us will be swept away by the running water,” she said. “This home was much bigger, but now part of the plot has been taken by the water.”
Juba Nabari West Chief Cicilia Idris said thousands of residents in her area will be affected if the government does not build a proper water channel.
“We are worried this is the beginning of a much larger issue in the future,” Idris said. “Now that you have seen the suffering of these people, with all the buildings destroyed, where will you take the many South Sudanese in this area if you do not rescue them?”
In response, Central Equatoria State Minister of Physical Infrastructure Fred Laku said the government plans to build channels to stop the running water from affecting the houses.
He said the government will invest over $30,000 to construct the channel.
Laku advised the residents not to wait for the government and to start gathering stones and other materials to contribute to the project.
He cautioned against building in areas prone to flooding, as it will only lead to more problems in the future.
The residents of Juba Nabari West are hopeful that the government’s intervention will provide a lasting solution to the flood crisis and prevent further destruction of their homes and livelihoods.