The Kinoo Assistant County Commissioner’s compound in Kikuyu was the luckiest beneficiary after the construction of a toilet courtesy of the National Hygiene Programme (NHP) dubbed Kazi Mtaani.
As at Friday, the cohorts of the NHP who are skilled were doing final touches on the toilet which the institution has never owned since inception in the area in 1982 by the then Central Provincial Commissioner, David A. Musila,
The beneficiary of the ablution block, Ms. Rosemary Mwangi said her officers and people visiting the offices will no longer suffer as has been the case when they have been compelled to share with the police officers or seek the services from the homes adjacent to the office.
Ms. Mwangi appreciated the work put in by the cohorts saying they were skilled enough to deliver the project within the given time. “Now we will be comfortable and will no longer suffer the way we used to when I was posted to this station,” she said.
“This is one of the projects which I will cherish during my tour of duty in public service and I will live to remember as the journey continues” Mwangi said as she admired it.
The administrator told KNA that it was important to have their own toilet especially during this covid-19 period when people were suspicious of who used their toilet for fear of being infected.
She said at the beginning of the programme, she had to come up with the idea after consulting with stakeholders and agreeing that those who were skilled be engaged so that they construct the toilet.
The NHP was launched in April by President Uhuru Kenyatta and rolled out in eight counties in the piloting phase with Kiambu County among the first beneficiaries owing to the sprawling informal settlements in various sub-counties.
Other beneficiaries in Kikuyu sub-counties have been Mama Ngina Primary and Secondary Schools, H.G.M. Primary and Secondary Schools, Kinoo Dispensary and Kinoo Vocational Training Institute.
Kinoo Police Station and various police posts in the division have also benefited from the services by the cohorts who have cleared the bushes within the institutions, planted flowers and done landscaping in some of the institutions. The Nakuru-Nairobi Highway was also cleared of the bushes on both sides.
The supervisor of the cohorts, Ms. Susan Karanja who is the acting Chief of Kinoo commended them for their seriousness and commitment to duty, saying the cohorts in Kikuyu sub-county had been divided into 4 clusters for easy management.
The chief further noted that the cluster heads had been coordinating the activities of the day through her to ensure that no section was left unattended. She advised the cohorts to spend their money prudently as some of them were young mothers who had children to take care of.
At least 355 cohorts were deployed in Kikuyu sub-county and were being paid Sh. 600 daily which is paid on-line at the end of each working week.
At the close of business on their last day which was on Friday, the young men and women who appeared determined to work for the government expressed their appreciation for the offer.
Alex Njuguna said they had embarked on a hygiene programme which was good for them and their families as it has helped put food on the table for more than 500 people in the area “the society is also happy as the young people are now busy and the rate of crime has gone down”
On behalf of the group he appealed that the same cohorts be considered for the second phase of the programme envisaged to begin in July 2020 saying they had exhibited maturity for the past two months. Phase two of the programme will take place in the 47 counties.
By Lydia Shiloya
