Residents of an arid section of Kitui county are pleading with the county government to help them, as they walk for over 20 kilometers in search of water.
They live in Kyalamoko area of Nguni Ward in Mwingi East Sub County.
The chairman of Kyalamoko borehole, Job Malusi, says the solar-powered borehole sunk by an NGO, which provided water for over 20 square kilometres, broke down two months ago.
The nearest water source is River Enziu, more than 20 kilometers away.
Malusi says the broken down motor of the water pump costs Sh400,000.
“Area residents have been unable to raise the amount required for the repair forcing them to walk to River Enziu which is more than 20 Kilometers away,” said Malusi.
Irene Mwende, a resident, said during the Covid-19 emergency, many girls in the area were either defiled or sexually harassed on their way fetch water.
“Our girls sometimes have to wake up very early in the morning and must be accompanied by their male counterparts in their water hunting missions for fear of attacks by wild animals,” said Irene.
Dorcas Kasyoka, another resident, said that water shortage has hit the Kyalamoko area harder, as now a jerrycan of water costs over Sh40.
Nguni ward MCA Ngui Kiruru urged the county government to repair all boreholes which have broken down across his ward.
