Loita Ward residents in Narok South Sub County can now heave a sigh of relief after the county government, in collaboration with Quip Bank Limited, unveiled plants to put up a water projects at a cost of Sh. 300 Million.
According to Quip Bank’s Commercial Manager John Mugira, the project target to construct 300 dams and dig over 200 boreholes at the end of 2019 to address the water crisis as well as boost the local economy through irrigation.
“We have already started the project and we have five earth-movers in different sites undertaking the dam projects. By the end of 2019 we want to ensure that locals in this area have access to clean water for domestic, livestock and for Agricultural activities,” said Mugira.
Area Governor Samuel Tunai in the recent ‘state of the county address’ revealed that provision of water to the residents in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands(ASAL) parts of the county was his top priority in his second term.
“Narok is largely a pastoral area and during dry spell our people are forced to travel several kilometres to get water for domestic use and for their livestock. This is an issue that I would like to end through drilling of boreholes, water pans and dams,” said Tunai.
Locals,especially women,at Olmesuti area in Loita expressed their frustrations in search of the precious commodity.
Vivian Oltinaiyo, 26, said their only source of water was at a small cave where they have to wait for several hours to fill a 20-litre jerrican.
She said due to the acute water shortage the locals have to forgo taking bath for even two weeks an issue that she said poses health issues especially among children.
“We are suffering; we trek for about 40 kilometres with donkeys every day to get water. We are happy that the dam is being undertaken here and will go a long way in assisting us,” said Ms Oltinaiyo.
For many years, pastoral communities in arid area had to travel for several kilometres to access water for domestic use and for watering their livestock but the situation is now set to change.
Loita ward borders neighbouring Tanzania and the residents are mainly pastoralists who keep migrating from place to place in search for food for their livestock.
By Ann Salaton
Sh. 300 million Water project unveiled for Loita
