BY PROBLYN J ALPHA
Residents of Penduma, a small community in the Moindekor section of Gbense Chiefdom, Kono District, Sierra Leone, have voiced deep dissatisfaction with their elected officials following the 2023 elections. In a candid interview with our correspondent, they highlighted significant challenges facing their community, chief among them the dire need for access to safe drinking water.
Mohamed Kamara, the Youth Chairman and Chief Imam of Penduma, expressed grave concerns over the worsening situation. He pointed out that Penduma, despite being just two miles from Koidu Municipality, lacks basic amenities such as reliable access to clean water. The community’s sole hand pump, installed in 2006 by the late President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, has ceased functioning, exacerbating the water crisis.
“The only hand pump we had stopped working, and now our children must travel to New Penduma, crossing the treacherous Meaya River, to fetch water,” lamented Chairman Kamara. He described the journey as perilous, noting tragic incidents where lives were lost due to accidents on makeshift bridges over the river.
Chairman Kamara urgently appealed to elected officials, local authorities of Gbense Chiefdom, philanthropic organizations, the Sierra Leonean government, and humanitarian agencies to intervene. He emphasized that the community’s struggle for access to safe drinking water has reached an intolerable level.
“The situation here is unbearable. We urgently need assistance to restore access to safe drinking water to prevent further tragedies,” pleaded Chairman Kamara.
Penduma community’s plight underscores broader challenges faced by rural communities in Sierra Leone, where basic infrastructure and essential services remain inadequate despite proximity to urban centers. The appeal for immediate action highlights the pressing need for comprehensive development initiatives to improve living conditions and ensure basic human rights are met for all residents.
