Diarrhoea, water shortages hit Kanye
As Batswana get into the Independence mood and communities prepare for celebrations, Kanye District is battling two pressing concerns: a diarrhoea outbreak that has claimed two lives and prolonged water shortages.
The situation was revealed by Kanye District Council chairperson Morapedi Kgosithebe during a full council meeting. Kgosithebe said 243 diarrhoea cases involving children under the age of five had been recorded countrywide between August 3 and 30, 2026, with two deaths reported. The outbreak has prompted health authorities to urge parents and caregivers to act quickly when children develop diarrhoea, particularly because young children can become seriously ill from dehydration. Families with children under five have been advised to keep zinc sulphate tablets and oral rehydration solution (ORS) sachets at home.
Kgosithebe urged members of the public to take children to the nearest health facility when they start passing loose stools. He said the ORS should be given to the child while preparations are being made to seek medical attention. The health warning comes as some Kanye residents are struggling to access water. Councillor for Kgosing ward, Mosekise Ranngobane, told this publication that residents in his ward had been experiencing a water shortage, with taps remaining dry for some time. Although the council has not attributed the reported diarrhoea deaths to the water shortages in Kanye, reliable access to water remains important for households trying to maintain hygiene, prepare food and care for sick children. Kgosithebe told councillors that the council was continuing to work on projects intended to improve water supply and sanitation in Kanye. Among them is the Construction of the Village Water Supply Distribution Network Rehabilitation – Emergency Works, which is currently ongoing.
He also reported progress on the construction of the major villages Sanitation Scheme, which has reached the testing and commissioning stage. The sanitation project has so far resulted in more than 991 connections serving 1,220 Government, parastatal and council facilities, including institutional houses. However, Kgosithebe said the testing and commissioning stage had taken longer than expected because of challenges affecting some components installed at pump stations.
The contractor had to find alternative means of dealing with the affected components, while the procurement of replacement parts also contributed to the delay. He said the project team remained on site working on the outstanding works, with the expectation that the project would be completed by the end of October 2026. Kgosithebe also said the council had requested Government to consider replacing old water reticulation networks in Kanye to improve water supply to communities experiencing shortages.
For residents in Kgosing and other affected areas, however, the need for water is immediate.
Ranngobane's account of dry taps comes as the council continues to invest in infrastructure intended to resolve water and sanitation problems in the long term. The situation also puts greater focus on the advice being issued to families with young children during the diarrhoea outbreak.
Parents are being urged not to wait until a child's condition becomes severe before seeking medical assistance. Kgosithebe said the public should ensure that children receive ORS and zinc sulphate tablets when they begin passing loose stools, while being taken to a health facility for further management. The council also reported that there were currently no recorded measles cases in Kanye
District, although a measles outbreak had been reported in the jurisdiction of Moshupa District Council. Residents were advised to visit a health facility if they experienced symptoms such as fever and a rash.