Water, sanitation & energy consultation: Mukuru kwa Njenga segment 2 (Wape Wape)
Where? True vine Church
When? 22.11.18
What? Water, sanitation and energy consortium consultation (Muungano alliance, Oxfam, Sanergy, Strathmore University, Nairobi Water Company,
Who? 88 resident representatives of SPA Mukuru kwa Njenga segment 2 ( (village of Wape Wape), 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:
Water
Water challenges faced by wapewape residents.
1)water contamination- Lillian who is a resident complained of water contamination it’s so bad that the water has a pungent smell which makes it unfit for consumption. They instead have a different place to fetch drinking water the contaminated water is used for cleaning purposes.
2) Expensive-The water that is fetched has to be treated before drinking making it expensive, when there is water rationing the prices hike to double or thrice the normal price. when water is not available its time consuming because fetching a 20litres jerican will take 2-3 hours which normally takes 5 minutes.
3) Poor piping- Mr onesmus highlighted that the drainage systems are open and the pipes gets broken and the water is contaminated some residents fetch it and do not treat the water this leads to water borne diseases which are said to be rampant in the area.
4) Dirty tanks-The tanks used for storage are not cleaned and are not covered at the top making the water to be contaminated.
5) Unknown water sources-the residents agreed that they do not know where the water that is supplied to them comes from this was a major concern to the wapewape residents, who also did not know any chamber where they could report their water concerns and problems too.
Solutions to the water challenges.
1) Atm water-The government to bring the atm water which is cheaper and safe for human consumption at least the residents will share one ATM machine per two plots or three if need be.
2) Access –Stanley a wapewape resident suggested that the piping should be done in the right way which will enable accessibility to clean n consumable water. The piping should be separated from the drainage systems.
3) Water storage-The tanks that are used to store the water should be properly cleaned and covered to avoid contamination this will reduce the water borne disease and its effects in the area which will reduce the high costs of treatment.
4) The chamber-The Nairobi Water Company has its offices at the chief’s area which is open to the resident’s suggestions and complains on water supply in the area.
Sanitation
Challenges faced by residents on matter sanitation.
1) High population- There is a large population in the area and less toilets which are not enough to cater for the needs of the people in the area which result to flying toilets.
2) Ignorant landlords- Landlords have a tendency of pumping the toilet waste it the drainage system which has water pipes it’s very risky to the people’s health this is very unhygienic and poses a lot of health issues to their tenants but they choose to foresee that, its ignorance of the highest order.
3) High water table- The toilets are not dug deep due to the high water table this causes lots toilets to be shallow and hence they do not cannot sustain the high population in the area and leads to the pit latrines filling up quite easily.
4) Disease- Due to the unhygienic disposal of human waste there are a lot of diseases in the area Wachira a community health worker said that there are high risks of cholera in the are due to contaminated water in the area caused by the emptier who dispose the faecal matter anywhere without consideration of the kids and the community at large.
Solution to the challenges faced on matters sanitation
1) Additional of public toilets- The residents suggested that if they could have public toilets which are cheaper and accessible that would improve sanitation in the area.
2) Exhausters- There was a collective agreement that if exhauster could access the area there would be a lot of improvement in sanitation in the area.
3) Ignorance- People in the area do not take cleanliness of the pit latrines as a collective responsibility they leave it to the caretakers or fellow residents who in return get tired and do not wash anymore.
4) Sewer line-There should be a good sewer system that would improvement sanitation in the area and reduce water contamination.
Energy
Challenges faced on energy
1) Overload- The transformers are less and overloaded and they cause fire outbreaks which cause a lot of damages and even loss of lives.
2) Expensive- The residents agreed that they get electricity at a very high price, they also argued that the electricity has high voltage which burns their TV, radio, heater n other electronics.
3) Sambaza (illegally connected electricity) has caused damages such as injuries and death due to the electric shock it produces during rainy season due to how unprofessional they are connected.
4) Unqualified personnel- Most people who connect the electricity are not qualified this leads to mistakes being done and affecting the residents in the area when fire outbreaks occur.
Solutions faced on energy
1) Biogas- The residents agreed that they would appreciate a biogas centre that would boost energy levels in the community and it would also produce clean energy. This would also create employment to the people in the community.
2) Transformers addition-There is need to have more transformers to reduce overloading this would also fire outbreaks
3) Watoe sambaza waeke token (They should implement the token project and do away with the illegally connected electricity once and for all.