The continued drought ravaging the Coast region has not spared the residents of Kaloleni in Kilifi County. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
Getting water which is a precious commodity has become a tall order for hundreds of residents in Kaloleni Sub County. They have been forced to trek to long distances to get the commodity and mostly on sunny afternoon when the hot rays of the sun hit them hard.
In some instances, they have been forced to share water sources with animals thus exposing themselves to the risk of contracting water borne diseases.
Many residents rely on water pans which are now drying up forcing them to walk long distances in search of water.
At Gotani village in Kayafungo, one of the residents Mary Mjeni said they are forced to use the water because it is the nearest water pan which still has water.
“This water pan was dug for use by livestock but we have no option now but to use the water since it is what we have. We use this water with dogs and livestock. Cattle normally walk into the water and urinate while drinking but we still have to use it,” she said.
She said the nearest place where one can get fresh water is at Kibao Kiche on the Kaloleni Mariakani highway about 15 kilometres from Gotani town.
A boda boda rider charges Sh150 from Gotani to Kibao Kiche and back.
According to Mwaringa Mae, a livestock farmer from Kajongoni villeg, his fears is that that the water pan will not take a week to dry up.
“Very many farmers depend on this water pan for their animals. I doubt if by next week there will be any water remaining. We have been contributing so that water could be pumped at the Kajongoni borehole but nothing has been done. We are suffering with our animals,” said Mae.
About seven kilometres from Gotani, Ndheru water pan is facing a similar fate.
Residents who use the water have to do communal work as an expansion measure of the water pan.
Kenga Musha who is in charge of the water pan said it is drying up and the community has treid to expand it because the government has failed to address their plight.
“This water pan is drying up and we want to expand it by ourselves because the government has not taken it up. Before fetching water you must dig and carry three pans of soil so that when the rain comes we can get more water,”, the in charge at the water pan.
The water pan serves residents from as far as Mwanamwinga about ten kilometres from the water pan.
Another resident, Mariam Mwalimu said she has to walk for one hour to get to the water pan.
“I wake up at 6am and by 7am I get here. I make at least three trips a day. On a day that I cannot come I have to pay someone to fetch for me at Ksh 30 per 20 litre jerican,” said Mwalimu.
After the drying up of the Mche Kenzi multipurpose water pan in Mwanamwinga, men now have to escort their women to water sources in far places.
Hussein Kilifi said men are forced to escort the women because of security concerns.
“We get water from very far so we wake up as early as 5am and escort our wives to the water pans and then we return home to prepare to go to work.
By the time we get to the water pans it is normally clear and women can walk back alone without the fear of being raped by sex pests,” said Kilifi.
