Over 2,000
locals from lower Laikipia can finally breathe a sigh of relief following the
launch of a community water project.
The Sh8 million initiative, which was undertaken by the Mutitu water project, will benefit locals from
Karai, Nyakio, Ithanji, Migaita, Lokoi, NgareNgíro, Kiambariria, Hot Line, Wamani
and Mairo Saba.
The green energy-powered initiative has adopted a special solar system which helps pump water
from the borehole to large water tanks, which helps power the water to the
main pipe that helps distribute it to
different homesteads where individual water meters are installed for proper
billing.
The project’s
chairman Joseph Kagiri Wambugu hailed its implementation, saying
the availability of water will help ease the suffering of the locals who have
been travelling for long distances in search of the precious commodity.
“A bigger part
of Laikipia County is semi-arid, hence subjecting the locals to intense
suffering occasioned by the pro-longed water crisis. The situation that has
seen them travel for over four kilometres in search of water,” he said.
He added that
with the launch of the project, locals can now have an unrationed flow of water at
the turn on their water faucets and as such save valuable time spent in search
of water to other productive activities geared towards national development.
The water
project, which has been made possible courtesy of the water bills paid by the
over 6,000 Mutitu water project members who are spread across Nyandarua,
Laikipia and Nyeri, will not only be used
for domestic consumption but will also help locals boost their agricultural-related practices.
“With the
increasing population and the depressed water levels from the mountain, which is
our main water source, it provoked us to think big by exploring alternative and
innovative ways of pumping sufficient water from underground,” said Wambugu.
He challenged
the government to prioritize community-driven water projects, terming them as a
real definition of the bottom-up economic model capable of transforming
ordinary wananchis’ lives.
“The mega dams
project is a good initiative, however, it takes time to implement as others fail
to see the light of the day owing to corrupt deals that discourage their
implementation. While I call for accountability into the establishment of such
projects, I appeal to the government to keep supporting the community water
initiatives because they help in resolving water crisis in ASAL and
marginalized areas.”
He further
called for accountability in government water agencies tasked with the
responsibility of managing water services, adding that such bodies are not doing
enough to resolve water challenges faced by a majority of Kenyans.
“It's
unfortunate that the tax payers money goes to various bodies such as the
National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority (NWHSA)and the Water Resources
Authority (WRA) yet Kenyans continue to grapple with water shortages as the
rain water drains in the Indian Ocean while water tables remain high,” he said.
He urged such agencies to engage in the drilling of boreholes and the issuance of water harvesting tanks.
