Water, sanitation & energy consultation: Viwandani segment 2
Where? Viwandani Chief’s camp
When? 4.10.18
What? Water, sanitation and energy consortium consultation.
Who? 83 resident representatives of SPA Viwandani segment 2 (villages of Jamaica,Lunga-Lunga Centre & Milimani); representatives from the 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:
WSE consortium members present
Patrick Njoroge, AMT , Program Officer
Meremiya Hussein Sanergy Program Officer
Ignatius Maranga Strathmore University Programs
Kellen Muchira Caritas Switzerland Project manager
Jack Oduor, Umande Trust Programs
Kate Community Communication and Documentation
Jacky Community Documentation
Aruna SITE Programs
WSE consortium members absent with apology
Mario Kainga NCCG
Naomy Obunga Sanergy
James Mucheke NCWSC, Informal settlement Department
John Owegi Oxfam International
Jamlick Mutie KIWASH – USAID
Alex Manyasi Sanergy
Opening remarks
The meeting came to order at 10:00am with an opening prayer from Mwas one of the community members ensuring participants are intendal ones prayers.
Discussions – Water
Patrick : Patrick opened ground for everyone in the meeting to introduce themselves. This was followed by outlining the agendas of discussion on water, sanitation, energy (WSE), the purpose of the special planning area, the county government responsibility, planning in Mukuru development, consortiums and the WSE consortiums. Lastly, looking at what we can do and what the government can do. After introduction, the discussions proceeded with Kellen on water
Kellen: She clarified on the importance of everyone’s opinion, stating they are all valid. Next, she talked on water with the expectation of getting opinions at the end and an update on the current water situation in Lunga Lunga, Jamaica.
Elizabeth: She outlined a number of challenges:
Water shortage in dry seasons
Fines affect water output
Water is rationed and expensive. 20 Litres @ Ksh. 20. Normally it ranges from Ksh.5-Ksh.10
The water pipes are contaminated by sewer pipes, considering they are put by cartels from the community.
Kellen: Water is an important resource. When we talk about water, I want you
Philip – Jamaica Community: 1. Some places have water while some are rationed. 2. Water vendors can provide water for anyone who has a toilet project.
Clara Mtoupa: 1. We lack knowledge on how much struggle the vendors go through to get water. Therefore, the water availed to us has to be expensive. 2. Instead of blaming vendors, it is wise for us to find a cheaper way of accessing water. 3. I have a laundry business. Therefore, I need water cheaply and consistently. I need to know how much to chape. 4. Sewer toilet businesses
Mary Muha – Lunga Lunga Centre: 1. I have a meter from Nairobi water which allows me to get water once a week. 2. When I sell water I face a lot of issues. I have a metre, that means I pay, but I do not get water. 3. There is a Cholera outbreak in the area. 4. We would like to have token water. Your money can help, even if it is Ksh.1 per 20litre, It is fine. I will not complain as long as the water gets here.
Catherine Wanyeva – Mihuani: Contamination of water by sewer pipes is causing the spread of diseases.
Boniface Ndolo - Jamaica: 1. The rich have access to water 2. The young people cannot sell water because the old people control the water business. 3. There is a group in our community that has toilets but lack water. We are looking for a solution to that.
Priscilla Nyambura – Milimani: 1. The water is salty, similar to borehole water. We are not sure the water is fit for consumption. For consumption, we try and boil it. 2. It is expensive.
Mary Mugoimi – Milimani: 1. We are far from the water source 2. Every plot should have water
Richard Mwangi – Lunga Lunga Youth Group: 1. We have Umande Trust Project 2. We help people with water. We charge a littre Ksh. 5- Ksh. 10. When there is no water. 3. Contamination of the pipes is the major concern. 4. We are hopeful the project will go through. However, we say we will do it and then nothing happens. 5. Most of the NGOs that come make promises that they do not fulfill.
Kellen: Since the project is government owned. It is a better approach.
Abubakar – Jamaica: 1. Water comes twice in a week. 2. Clean water lorries bring dirty water and get people infected on consumption.
Anastacia Aluoch – Lunga Lunga Centre: 1. In situations of water scarcity, people walk for long distance to access water. 2. One can stay from 7-11am in the morning without getting any water.
Kellen : How many litres do you use? If you take 5 litre jerrican at the same time you will get water. How can we solve it? a. As villagers b. As the Nairobi County
John Mwangi – Lunga Lunga Centre: We can get pipes to buy water. However, Nairobi water would not allow that. Although they can employ us to get the water.
David Kimani – Jamaica: 1. In a group we own toilets. 2. As the community we can lobby/ peaceful demonstrations.
Elizabeth Khaukwa – Jamaica: 1. We want 50pc water 2. Increase the piping coverage and storage to give young people. In groups they can be given loans and tanks.
David Kimani – Jamaica: 1. We have the tanks. We need water.
Agnes Wambua – Jamaica: Rationing. The price is 5/= today, tomorrow 20/=. If you can fix prices so we know. If you go there and find the water is 20/=, one has to cross over to Reuben to get water. They should make the tariff laws work.
Kellen: Poverty penalty.:
Clara Mtuopa: There is cheap water. I have tanks, I have money. I just need a way to get cheap water.
Saida Mohamed – Donholm: One of us was informed at a county meeting that Viwandani is not in the budget. It is not in the county plans thus SPA is important.
Winfred Okatch – Lunga Lunga Centre: We need to look at how many litres are sold to Viwandani, then they can add.
Abubakar – Jamaica: Some people leave very early and return late at night. Water should be at the plot level.
Carol Njeri – Lunga Lunga: It is a surprise we are not in the county budget. - We need metal pipes to stop contamination.
John Mwangi: Pipes are already available. We have chambers. All we need is for it to be reconstructed…. and the token system is better.
Mary Wairimu – Jamaica: We went to the county and we were not in the CIDD. We stormed out of the county. When chambers came, only a few benefited.
Richard Mwangi – Lunga Lunga: The chambers came a long time ago.
Fatuma Abuh: We have talked of all these issues. How will we solve these issues if the county does not recognize us?
Mwas Mobiliser: I would like these discussions to caliii This project benefits all of us and the water issues.
Sanitation
Florence – Jamaica: I live in a plot without a toilet and the toilets are far. I ask the neighbor for a lesso and peed in the storm water drainage.
Saida Mohammed: We all have a container in the house. As Muslims we go to the mosque toilet for long call. Is there one for everyone.
All: No
Dhahabu Dera – Lunga Lunga: After 10:00 pm there are no toilets they are all closed. Sometimes its closal in the morning. I sit on a bucket, in the morning I take it to the storm water drainage.
Omondi – Milimani: I clean condous and storm water drainages in the morning the village is terrible. Most of the storm water, we started carrying ash to pour on the drainage. I feel sad when the couwly kills dogs. The dogs eat it.
Wambui – Milimani: We sit on the storm water drainage in the morning and release. When you go out in the open is it dignifying? No. Water, sanitation, and clean environment are socio-economic rights.
Richael Mwangi: Someone threw a flying toilet on my feet. They do it in the house and mix it with water. You think water is being poured but it is not.
Roselyn Gachei – Milimani: Plot toilet are very dirty. You cannot rest. Someone woke up early and made it dirty by morning. At 10:00 a.m. it is unusable. There is no water unless someone washes clothes pour the dirty water on top.
Jacky: What about public toilets?
Richard: Our toilet is open at 5:00 am. Someone comes from so far to use it. The women prefer to help themselves in the house because of security.
Charity – Lunga Lunga: We prefer public toilets because the owners keep it clean and has water.
Jacky: when they are full how is waste managed?
Hannah Wambui – Mtongue Lunga Lunga
The people with toilets in the house have connected them to the sewer line.
Kevin Kanini – Lunga Lunga Square: There are ambulances that come and take the waste. Its unsafe. The county government should come with exhausters.
Jacky: where do they pour it?
The community: In the river.
Saida: There is a school which pours the waste on the road. One has to pass with caution.
James Gichuu – Milimani: In the first place the toilets were not built in the right manner.
Mama Night – Jamaica: We have no toilets. All of the discharge into the river.
Jacky: How much does a public toilet cost?
Philomena Nuluku: It costs Ksh: 5 per use. I have one connected to the sewer and there is main hole.
Jacky: In a family of 5 people, they use ksh: 30/= in the morning, and how much is Githeri?
Clara: Toilets are ksh: 5 but when there is no water it becomes more expensive.
Jacky: If we come with ksh. 300 we go three times. Almost ksh: 100 is used to go to the toilet. Poverty penalty.
Wanjiku: If I have a family of 6. We have to agree with toilet owners to pay per month or sometimes we do not get the money.
Jacky: What about the safety of women and girls?
Sofia – Jamaica: Sometimes we stick used pads in between the walls and roof.
Veronica: It is unsafe. Rape cases are many.
Jacky: So what is the solution?
Racheal Mwangi: some NGO toilets have been personified. The government should build toilets in the plot.
Jacky: What is the solution?
Catherine Wanyeva – Milimani: Landlords can add ksh: 200 on plots and add.
Kevin: approved exhausters to empty toilets.
Christine: Flush toilets with sewer connection. Therefore, we should have a sewer line construction.
Viwandani Segment 2: 8,482 Households, 388 Toilets, 22 households sharing 1 touilet on average. 66 pax per toilet. Diarrhea in Kenya is at 18% while at Mukuru it is 40%. At the same time Typhoid in Kenya is at 4% while at Mukuru it is at 19%.
Energy
Ignatius Maranga: Ignatius introduced himself and outlined the topics of discussion on cooking and lighting. How do you cook?
Carol Njeri: Coal, gas, Jiko, Stove Gas is the least used, then coal, Jiko and the use of stove tops the list.
Ignatius: why use stove most?
Kevin – Jamaica: It is cheap as compared to gas I use ksh. 5 per day.
Dennis – Milimani: Per month equals ksh.1500 if it is ksh.50 per day yet gas is cheaper 850.
Clara: We use stove mostly because of space it takes up a little space. Gas is cheaper but to get the money at once is difficult.
Philip – Jamaica: People fear gas because of bursting/ explosions.
Richard: Most people have mimeal jobs and go from hand to mouth. Ksh. 200 buys unga, mchele, and stove.
Saida: I use jiko. Food by jiko tastes good. Ksh. 30 for charcoal is enough to survive.
Christine Mwende – Lunga Lunga: When it comes to electricity I use the coal because the bill comes to ksh. 500. Everything is expensive. Makaa is outlawed and kerosene is expensive.
Ignatius: Any issues with ….?
Elizabeth Mumbi – Lunga Lunga: Coal is dangerous, a lot of houses burnt.
Dennis – Milimani: Stove causes pollution. I have chest congestion.
Fredrick – Milimani: The oil used in the stove is bad for one’s health.
Abubal: You can suffocate to death.
Rachel – Lunga Lunga: If you cook with stove, you can get asthmatic, have eye problems and many more.
Ignatius: How can we solve these issues?
Charity Nyambura – Lunga Lunga: Kenya power should put up electricity for our use.
Clara: We were given token but they are not working. Cheap gas is the best or cheap electricity.
Kevin: A gas project. Pay Go energy model.
Elizabeth Mumbi: If it is possible for the gas to be measured to be ksh. 30.
Patrick: Explain the PayGo Energy Model.
Saida Mohamed: We want cheaper gas.
Richard: There is a biogas idea which we can use. Our engineers failed us but there was a hotel using it.
Ignatius: I would like to talk about electricity and the issue on Sambaza and token. How many use Sambaza?
The community: all of us.
Ignatius: Why?
Francis – Jamaica: we were given token but the wires were stolen.
Kevin: the sambaza we had was cut off and we had to stay in the dark.
Saida: I use sambaza and I do not pay for it. Though some pay ksh: 400 – 500.
Richard: For instance, if one pas and uses it to cook Githeri, one will find it very expensive.
Ignatius: How many houses have burned because of lack of electricity?
Hellen: sometimes the fires are caused by candles etc.
Kevin: Black outs are a trigger to house fires. When the lights are back, fires start in houses where coals were left on.
Mwaura – Milimani: Sometimes we are irresponsible. Heaters will burn everything as long as we do thing carelessly. We must understand mostly we misuse.
Carol : Token has three wires. We use two earth and the fire one. Even with electricity available, it can still burn.
Richard: We do not choose to live here. It is also not because we are careless. A woman used the little money she had left to buy Githeri and the lights went out. She had to go out and look for paraffin when she came back the house was on fire.
Kevin: In your opinion, are we going to be able to pay for the electricity? What do you think? So that we know if we can afford it or we should continue with Sambaza.
End Meeting There being no other agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m. with a closing prayer from Mwas.