The latest survey conducted by Infotrak on the unending water crisis in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic has revealed that flying toilets are slowly finding their way back to society.
The survey carried out between September and October indicates that flying toilets and open defection are creeping back among vulnerable communities.
The study showed two in every 10 respondents indicated that they resorted to the two practices as a coping mechanism for Covid-19.
The survey was carried out in some of the counties that have been worst hit by the virus, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.
Respondents said that curfew restrictions prevent the use of external toilets and cites fear of sharing crowded communal toilets, as well as inadequate water supply as some of the reasons for the habits.
Twenty-one per cent of the respondents from the surveyed counties have resorted to alternative sanitization methods as a way of coping with virus sanitisation challenges.
Kilifi reported a high number of flying toilets, which is 26 per cent, followed by Nairobi 20 per cent, Mombasa and Kwale with 18 per cent each.
Fifty-four per cent of residents of Mombasa and Kwale share sanitization facilities with neighbours, compared to Kilifi 52per cent and Nairobi 43 per cent.
Also, the use of communal sanitization facilities is 48 per cent in Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kwale 39 per cent each, and Kilifi 33.
The research also revealed that women and girls in vulnerable communities from the surveyed counties have resorted to innovative ways to cope with the lack of hygiene products due to the virus.
Thirty-nine per cent of the respondents indicated that piped water that comes into their homes is their primary source.
The poll of 800 adults was conducted between September- October through Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) in four of 47 counties. The margin of error was +/-3.464 per cent with a 95 per cent degree of confidence. It was funded by the Kenya Water and Civil Society Network.
