Murang’a County leaders have implored on the government through the ministry of water, irrigation and sanitation to ensure water connectivity in Murang’a’s semi-arid areas.
The areas ostensibly would be highly productive and contribute to the country’s food basket but lack the wherewithal to yield anything as residents grapple with lack of water for domestic and even farming.
Led by the women representative Betty Maina and Senator Joe Nyutu, they noted that the large volumes of water in the county including the newly commissioned projects and dams in Maragua and Ithanga would go a long way in ensuring the people of Makuyu and Kambiti areas get water.
They spoke in Makuyu, Maragua constituency, during a NGAAF projects meeting organized by the women rep.
“The farms here are fertile and highly productive especially fruit trees like mangoes and oranges which do well in this area,” observed the women Rep.
“If the residents would get connected to water for drinking and farming, this area alone would contribute massively to the country’s food basket,” she added.
Maina applauded the government for ensuring good road connectivity that would make it easier for the farmers to take their farm produce to the markets.
“The people here are not lazy, they are hard workers and if they have water it would cut on the long and torturous trips they make to search for the basic commodity and instead use that time to farm and feed their families as well as the neighbouring counties,” she further said.
Echoing her sentiments, Kambiti ward MCA Laban Chomba noted that time had come for the elderly in those areas to put their jerricans down.
“We are committed to ending our elderly parents’ trips in search of water and we therefore will try and get all the resources necessary so we can sink boreholes in Makuyu and Kambiti even as we call on the national government to ensure our people get water for farming and drinking,” he stated.
One of the residents painted a gleam picture of the hardships they go through everyday in search of water.
“All we want is clean drinking water because as young women in our most productive years, we make long trips in search for water which is not even safe for human consumption.
Our children get ill often as the water we drink has been contaminated” said Adonesia kangai from Mithini.
On her part, Jane Wanjiru notes that they have to rely on handouts as the area is perennially dry yet if they had water they would farm and sustain themselves fully.
“We often wake up at 2am or 3am to go search for water oblivious of the security threats that may arise from the long trips at such an hour,” she said.
The women Rep further encouraged the women to form registered self-help groups as that is the only way they will benefit from government grants and funds.
“Today four women self-help groups will receive cheques worth Sh.550, 000 cumulatively for their mashinani developments.
Seven learning institutions in Makuyu will also receive a 5000 litres water tank each so as to keep our children in schools as they spend a lot of time fetching water for their use in school,” she noted.
During the event, elderly person above 67 years each received a blanket. A total of 1300 blankets were given out as well as food essentials for all the attendees.
The event that was graced by Nyandarua Senator John Methu, Murang’a South DCC Gitonga Murungi, the area MCA Thomas Muteti, the sub-county security committee, and a host of other Murang’a MCAs.
By Florence Kinyua
