Hundreds of residents of Jie Payam drink from a pool of stagnant water in this undated photo verified by Eye Radio. (Courtesy).

Four people are known to have died of starvation in hunger-hit Jie Payam of Kapoeta East County amid reports of severe drought in the border area.

James Natabo, a lawmaker in Eastern Equatoria State said the hunger situation, coupled with the lack of clean drinking water, has left the locals desperate for help.

“The issue of Kasongor is the issue of hunger. Hunger is now worse than even the issue of water. Last week I was there, I found four people dead in the houses, the elderly died inside the houses.”

Kapoeta East County in Eastern Equatoria lies in the same geographical location with northern Kenya, which has been drought-stricken for years.

According to the lawmaker, the pastoral communities are drinking from contaminated water ponds with their cattle.

Photos shared with Eye Radio show hundreds of women and children drawing muddy water with their jerrycans to fetch water.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Monday, MP Natabo appealed to the national government and aid agencies to rescue the suffering population in the area.

“They are depending on the rain, if it rains and water accumulates, then they drink from there.”

“Some of them will go to Kapoeta North when the people migrate, the elderly will remain there. Some will die because of thirst. That is why I appeal to the government and NGOs to rescue the situation of the Jie people.”

The Jie tribe constitutes a population of 70,000 people, according to the 2008 census.