Water, sanitation & energy consultation: Mukuru kwa Njenga segment 3 (Riara)
Where? St Steven Integrated school
When? 20.11.18
What? Water, sanitation and energy consortium consultation (Muungano alliance, Oxfam, Sanergy, Strathmore University, Nairobi Water Company,
Who? 74 resident representatives of SPA Mukuru kwa Njenga segment 3 (village of Riara), representatives from the county government & WSE consortium, & Muungano facilitators.
About the community consultations:
This note is from the first of three sets of community consultations by the water, sanitation and energy consortium of the SPA.
This first set of consultation meetings are segment-level dreaming sessions, where residents share their views and aspirations with the consortium, and where the consortium works with the community to identify issues and challenges, community priorities, and ideas for potential solutions – all relating to water, sanitation and energy.
After the first consultation meetings, the consortium will develop a draft sectoral plan for the segment – this draft sectoral plan will be derived from the dreams shared in the first set of consultation meetings and tested against the existing reality of Mukuru.
In later sets of meetings, first at segment level, the consortium will seek residents’ feedback on these draft plans, which will then be revised accordingly. And then all 8 of the SPA consortiums will together share the final integrated development plan, for adoption by Mukuru’s residents.
Brief notes on the discussion:
Challenges faced by the Riara residents on matters water.
1) Time consuming- sometimes there is water scarcity which causes long queues and walking long distances to find it. This is time consuming and tiresome which affects the residents.
2) Unclean water-The residents pointed out that the water pipes are passed in sewage lines which causes water contamination this causes a lot of diseases this is hazardous to the community in as much some boil their drinking water the risk of conducting water borne diseases such as cholera are very high. This was the resident’s main outcry.
3) Expensive-The residents were in agreement that what they were paying for per 20 litre Jeri can was way too much compared to the prices by the county government.
4) Dangerous- The water collecting points are illegally connected to the electricity that pumps the water if not carefully connected it causes electric shock and injures people at the water point most of them are always congested.
5) Dirty tanks-The water tanks are not cleaned while keeping in the water this causes contamination which is not good for consumption.
6) Bill- Residents do not have a metre boxes that would show how much they have spent on water rather they are charged way too much.
SOLUTIONS TO WATER CHALLENGES.
1) Atm water-Water vendors to be licensed by the county government this would ensure that the water pipes are properly placed which will reduce or eradicate contamination of water , it will also provide affordable water to the Riara community.
2) Self-help groups to sell the water-If the water responsibility of selling the water is given to groups it will be easier to manage the fluctuating prices and it will also reduce unemployment in the community.
3) Water per plot- The community suggested if they could have water supplied per plot and every house to have their own metre boxes that would reduce the cost of money being spent on water only.
NB: The community was in agreement that now it would protect the water pipes from the Nairobi water company because they were involved in the public participation they vowed to protect it at all costs from the water cartels interference which would cost them better service from the county government.
Challenges faced by Riara residents on sanitation.
1) Emptier dispose the waste along the railway line – The people that empty the pit latrines dispose it on the roads, drainage tunnels and play areas .
2) Diseases-This has very hazardous effects on people living in the area disease like cholera are rampant in the area because of careless disposal of the faecal matter, Women complained of urinal tract infection which affects them when using the pit latrine toilet, this diseases are very expensive to treat hence poverty penalty.
3) Expensive-If a family has many members it would be very expensive to buy a toilet.
4) No running water-the pit latrines do not have running water hence not causing the culture of hand washing to the people of the community.
5) Poor housing-Spacing is so poor one room is for staying the next is a pit latrine they jointly to save up on space.
6) Insecurity-Due to insecurity reasons people in the community do not use the toilets at night due to fear of being attacked.
Solution offered to improve sanitation in the area.
1) Tenants to take the initiative of cleaning the toilets on daily basis this will reduce the infections caused by the toilets.
2) Emptier to be abolished and exhausters to be used instead the disposal will be in a convenient place this will reduce disease that are spread by the careless disposal.
3) Safety tanks for treatment and later fertilizer production for sale creating job opportunities to the people in the area.
4) Connect the toilets to the sewer line for a easier disposal of the waste.
Energy
The people from the Riara community were mesmerized by the solar lamps that was presented to them and gladly bought the idea of buying as a group and as individuals. They agreed that the solar lamps would be very convenient to them and their families and also cheaper compared to electricity.
There was also an improved jiko which uses less charcoal hence saving.