Fact-Check: Has Water Access Improved for All Bundung Residents?
Malagen fact-checked the President’s assertion that his administration resolved Bundung’s water shortages through a newly constructed borehole. Evidence from the community suggests otherwise.
As the Meet the People’s Tour drew to a close, President Adama Barrow used his final engagements in Kombo, West Coast Region, to outline what he described as major development achievements recorded over his nine years in office. One of these claims, aired during a meeting televised on Star TV, focused on water access in Bundung—a long-standing challenge for many households in the area.
The Claim
At the 22:53 mark of the broadcast, the President spoke in Mandinka, translated by Malagen. President Barrow said: “Before in Bundung, people used to wait until 3 a.m. before they could get water. They informed me about this problem, and I dug a borehole in Nema Su for the people of Bundung. That borehole now supplies water to the community.”
Fact- Check:
To assess the accuracy of this statement, Malagen reached out to multiple residents across Bundung. The majority of those interviewed said that despite the reported intervention, their daily reality remains largely unchanged.
“Nothing has changed on our side. It has been like this for years and it is still the same,” one resident told Malagen, noting that water still flows only at irregular hours, often late at night or in the early morning.
We also spoke to the National Assembly Member for Bundung, Sulayman Jammeh. While he confirmed that a borehole was indeed installed and that some parts of Bundung have experienced improvements, he emphasized that the benefits are not evenly distributed.
“It is better than it used to be for many years, but not all areas in Bundung are benefiting,” Jammeh explained, highlighting persistent disparities in access between neighbourhoods.
Bundung, a densely populated community of more than 40,000 residents, has struggled with water shortages for years. Despite the introduction of the borehole, several households still report long waits and inconsistent supply, suggesting that the intervention has eased the burden for some but not for all.
Verdict: Partially True
While the President is correct that a borehole was constructed for Bundung, the claim that it now supplies water to the entire community does not reflect the current situation on the ground.
Access has improved in certain areas, but many residents continue to face the same longstanding water challenges.
