A group of residents from Bouarouss commune in Taounate province marched on foot Monday toward Fes to protest their lack of access to water and a health center, the long distance to high school for students, and to demand better road infrastructure.
Despite being surrounded by five major dams, locals denounced having to walk long distances to neighboring communes just to fetch water.
Abderrahim Awa, local secretary of the Democratic Left Federation in Tissa, told Hespress English that access to water remains a serious problem in Bouarouss.
He said the commune previously used tankers to provide water to locals during the dry summer months, but the service has recently stopped, pushing residents to protest.
“Since 2022, officials have repeatedly promised solutions, but nothing has been implemented,” he said, adding that a seven-member committee representing the residents has tried to negotiate with authorities, but “only promises, not real solutions, have been delivered.”
Awa added that locals have sent nearly 24 letters to the governor without receiving a response, prompting residents to march on Monday toward Fes, covering more than 20 kilometers on foot, and in some cases nearly 30 kilometers.
He said authorities initially tried to block the march, but residents insisted on continuing and took alternative routes through the mountains.
They spent the night outdoors until being assured that talks with the provincial governor would take place the next morning.
Locals also demand better access to high school. Awa said that “after finishing middle school, students often have to travel over 30 kilometers each way to continue their education, and school transport is already limited.”
Mehdi Nahri, a local journalist, told Hespress English that “residents had sent over dozens of letters to authorities demanding access to water, a health center, and better road infrastructure.”
During winter, he explained, swollen rivers cut off villagers from markets and schools.
Despite the province being home to major dams, including Al Wahda, the second-largest in Africa, and Idriss I, Bouarouss, and other communes remain without piped water.
Many families are now forced to walk several kilometers to neighboring communes to secure water, he added.
Noureddine El Hajri, a member of the Dignity Appeal committee formed after the first protest in Taounate, stressed that the Bouarouss commune faces the same problems as the rest of the province.
He explained that residents are struggling with basic social needs and are asking for simple rights, including access to water and a hospital.
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