The township of Kambia regularly endures months without a reliable public water supply, a critical situation that spanned the recent festive season and continues to leave residents in severe distress. In response, the District Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Network (WASHNET), spearheaded by its Focal Organisation, Democracy And Development Associates-Sierra Leone (DADA-SL), has organized a major town hall meeting to confront the escalating crisis.
The Executive of DADA-SL in Kambia, Foday Sesay, underscored the meeting’s importance. This past Sunday, 19th January, WASHNET in collaboration with AYCN, AGEPHD, fellow civil society organizations, media, and community leaders including His Honour Paramount Chief Bai Farma Bubu Angbak IV conducted a monitoring exercise across the township. The team assessed the defunct state of the SALWACO water system, documenting non-functional street pumps and a palpable breakdown in service. Their findings confirm widespread reports of alleged mismanagement, diversion of water to private vendors, and a concerning absence of accountability from the responsible utility.
“The cessation of water during a time of celebration has turned into a prolonged period of hardship,” a community representative noted. “We see closed pumps, hear of fuel being sold instead of water being pumped, and face a wall of silence from those tasked to serve us.”
Faced with this impasse and unsuccessful attempts to directly engage SALWACO management, WASHNET, with the full endorsement of Paramount Chief Bai Farma Bubu Angbak IV, will host the town hall. Scheduled for Saturday, 25th January 2026, at the Kambia Court Barray, the forum aims to bridge the growing divide between the community and service providers.
The event is designed as a platform for frank and inclusive dialogue, demanding transparency and restoring public trust. It will bring together citizens, civil society, SALWACO, the Six Towns water project leadership, and key government agencies including the Ministry of Health, Kambia District Council, and the Fire Force. The goal is to forge a new, harmonized working relationship centered on effective service delivery and community ownership of local water resources.
“The town hall is not merely a meeting; it is a necessary intervention for accountability,” said Foday DM Sesay, Executive Director of DADA-SL and WASHNET District Focal Person. “We are mobilizing stakeholders from community to national levels to ensure every voice is heard and every responsible party is brought to the table to solve this fundamental issue.”
The initiative underscores a broader movement in Kambia District to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability in public service, ensuring that the right to clean water is not merely promised but delivered.
