Tanathi Commits to reliable water access in Lower Eastern and Kajiado

Tanathi Water Works Development Agency Chairperson, Regina Ndambuki, speaking during an inspection tour of the project in Kyuso on Tuesday/musembi Nzengu.

The state of the excavation works at the Kaya Earth Dam in Kyuso Ward, Kitui County as at on Tuesday/Musembi Nzengu.

The Tanathi Water Works Development Agency is committed to ensuring residents of the Lower Eastern region and Kajiado have access to a reliable supply of water for domestic use, irrigation and livestock, the agency’s chairperson Regina Ndambuki has said.

 Speaking on Tuesday, Ndambuki said to avert the massive loss of livestock experienced during prolonged dry spells in Kajiado and the Lower Eastern region, the agency has developed a comprehensive plan to guarantee sufficient water supply for livestock throughout the year.

 “Livestock keeping is the main economic activity for the people of Kajiado and parts of Lower Eastern. When animals die due to lack of water, families lose their primary source of income. As Tanathi, we are determined to address this challenge,” she said.

  Ndambuki made the remarks while leading the TWWDA board on an inspection tour of the Sh17 million Kaya Earth Dam project in Kyuso ward, Kitui county. Once completed, the dam will serve at least 150 households.

 She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting President William Ruto’s goal of providing adequate water to underserved communities in the Lower Eastern region and across the country.

 We are implementing water projects in remote areas like Kaya in line with President Ruto’s Bottom-Up Transformational Agenda. Our mission is to make clean and reliable water accessible to people at the grassroots,” Ndambuki added.

 The chairperson noted that the board was impressed by the contractor’s performance, observing that the project was already 60 per cent complete.

 Residents expressed optimism about the project’s impact. Rebecca Kyambi, a villager whose deceased husband donated the land for the dam, said the new water source would help address numerous social challenges faced by the community.

 “We have suffered severe water shortages for years. The nearest source is several kilometers away, and when young women take long to fetch water, they are often reprimanded by their husbands out of suspicion,” Kyambi said.

 She added that once the project is complete, such issues will be a thing of the past as residents will have easy access to water, significantly reducing the time spent fetching it.

 Community leader Daniel Katee lauded the project, describing it as a posthumous honour to Musili Mwangangi, who donated his land to make the project a reality.

 The Kaya Dam is a dream come true for our community. It will forever honour the Mwangangi’s selfless contribution to ensuring we have a reliable water source,” Katee said.