Residents of Hindi division in Lamu county are suffering without water for months now after their pipeline was destroyed several years ago. The residents have been forced to spend many hours in search of water after authorities failed to repair the only pipeline long the area.
Athman Mohamed a resident of one of the villages said those highly affected are Bargoni, Mswafini, Bodhai and other villages along the area. Their only remaining hope of water from the KDF camp in Bargoni also developed mechanical problems forcing them to walk for long distances in search of the commodity. Journalists toured Bargoni are and came face to face with the disaster as women are forced to trek for long distances to get water. There are some who can afford a boda boda to transport the water but the majority are poor and have to go the hard way.
The water kiosk which is part of the main project of the pipelines built by the former county government regime is locked as taps are dry.
Mohamed said at times they get supplied with water from boreholes but they are not enough. ”We appeal to the government and non-governmental organisations to intervene so that we get fresh water because water is life,” he said in an interview. Mohamed said the problem has been worse in the last four months since it is the dry season and they can stay for three days without bathing.
Abdallah Mohamed an Imam from Bargoni said they have had challenges for a long time and would like a permanent solution. He said most of the challenges are usually experienced during the dry season hence getting food for children is a problem. Previously he said they used to get support from Amu power but now it’s only KDF who assist them with water which is not enough. ”Right now there are few people in the village because people have gone out to look for water,” he said.
Mariam Abdallah a resident said they normally go to borrow water from KDF but for the last one week there was no water. Their water pump was spoilt. ‘Right now there are few people in the village because people have gone out to look for water,” he said.