About 80 per cent of homes in Murang’a have been connected to water, Principal Secretary Joseph Wairagu has announced.
Wairagu has said many projects established by the government are compensation to locals for the water channelled to Nairobi and its environs through Ndaka-ini dam.
The government committed to increasing the supply of water in the county after locals complained about the multibillion-shilling Northern Collector Tunnel project meant to boost the supply of water to Nairobi.
Residents said it was unfair for the government to continue to get water from the county to other areas yet they suffered.
The project, which started in 2015, at a cumulative cost of Sh30 billion, is nearing completion will draw 140 million litres of water from Gikigie, Maragua and Irati River and channel it to Ndaka-ini dam.
Wairagu, who spoke on Friday while launching several water projects in Kigumo constituency, said many projects are at various levels of completion.
He cited the Sh280 million Mathareini-Ndonga Irrigation Project that is expected to be completed by the end of the current financial year.
The project will benefit over 3,000 residents who have been relying on erratic rainfall for their agricultural activities. It will help locals engage in horticulture and boost their livelihoods.
“This project is being implemented by the National Irrigation Authority and will cover over 700 acres of land. It will go a long way into boosting food security and providing employment,” he added.
The ministry has already completed Nyanjigi Irrigation Water Project and Mirichu Murika Irrigation Project.
Wairagu gave an assurance that all projects will be completed before the end of next year.
In Kigumo, Githembe borehole that is producing 25 cubic metres of water per hour has been completed.
Kandani borehole is also providing water to over 2,000 locals.
“In Kiiria Ngoro we have a project that is supplying water supplied to coffee factories that have been struggling to pump the commodity from rivers to process coffee,” he said.
The projects will boost the lives of locals and enable food production and improve hygiene while enabling the establishment of industries.
In Ithanga, Gatanga constituency, the government has established a Sh 2.4 billion irrigation water project while Sh1.2 billion Kenol-Makutano project will supply water to over 16,000 people in Kigumo, Kandara and Maragua.
Wairagu noted that the national water coverage is at 80 percent noting that some areas have higher coverage than others.
“We have irrigation projects in Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River, Turkana and all parts of the country. In Kirinyaga, we are in the process of constructing Thiba dam,” he added, noting that over 190 boreholes have been sunk in Nairobi.
He lauded the national government for providing the resources required to connect more people with water.
He however pointed out that sanitation coverage is only at 30 percent nationally but that the government has a target to improve it to about 40 percent by end of next year.
Kigumo MP Ruth Mwaniki, for her part, lauded the government for the many projects that she said will ease the lives of her constituents and enable them to engage in agri-farming.
“We will now get into our farms and produce horticultural products to better our lives,” she said.
The government is in the process of establishing a Sh340 million modern market in Kangari that will enable locals to exports their farm produce.
The market will be installed with coolers and will help them consolidate their produce for easy marketing and ensure a consistent supply.
