Murang'a water connectivity up from 36 to 60% in two years, says PS Wairagu

The national government has increased water connectivity in Murang’a county from 36 per cent in 2018 to 60 per cent this year.

Water PS Joseph Wairagu has said the government has initiated numerous water projects to compensate locals for the water drawn from their rivers and channeled to Nairobi county.

Wairagu said the government is also putting up water projects to help it catch up with the national water coverage that stands at 72 per cent.

He, however, noted that the coverage is higher in the upper Murang’a region, where 70 per cent of the homes have been covered, compared to  the lower region whose connectivity is 50 per cent.

The lower Murang’a, he said, depends on boreholes and does not have many rivers. It, however, has colonial dams that need to be de-silted.

 “We want to bring up the connectivity so it can tally with the national coverage and ensure Murang’a people are not disadvantaged," Wairagu said.

He spoke on Friday during the groundbreaking of Nginda Irrigation Scheme, whose intake will be along the Irati River.

The PS said the government was responding to requests by the villagers, who had asked for the project for a long time.

He said the contractor will be on-site "in a few days" and that the project will cost Sh217 million. It is set to be completed in two years.

The PS said the government is also planning to construct Maragua Dam, which will provide domestic and irrigation water in Maragua subcounty.

“This project will use gravity to channel water to towns and will be completed in one year at a cost of Sh800 million,” he said, adding that the projects are in various stages of implementation.

The government also intends to establish 15 other minor community irrigation projects, which are at the design stage, and will be implemented in the next financial year.

These projects, he said, will provide casual jobs to youths as contractors have been instructed to work with locals and increase farmers’ returns as they will engage in agri-business.

“Our food security depends on irrigation as the rains have become unreliable due to climate change,” he said.

The government is also seeking funds to construct Maragua 4 dam, which will provide 228,000 cubic metres of water per day.

Maragua MP Mary Waithera said her constituency has been lagging behind in water connectivity and that the projects will support the government’s agenda on food security as it is one of the areas that receive relief food.

Waithera said dependence on boreholes gives rise to waterborne diseases, especially when they boreholes are on the same level with pit latrines.

Maragua Level 4 Hospital, she said, suffers from acute water shortage and will benefit from the projects.

National Irrigation Authority chairperson Joshua Toro said the water projects are distributed across the country.

“Murang’a is, however, too far behind and we want to raise its coverage to other counties’ level,” he said.

He added that the projects will not be undertaken without the assurance that the funds are available to ensure they don’t stall.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro commended the government for implementing numerous domestic and irrigation water projects in his area.

He cited Miirira, Gikindu, Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga and Mirichu irrigation water projects.

Mugoiri water project is 95 percent complete while Gaturi project has just started.

The MP said his constituency is agriculturally productive but has water challenges as some areas re semi-arid.

“The government previously concentrated on putting up backbone infrastructure but I am glad it is now doing last-mile connectivity so that individual homes can benefit,” he said.