The
Mountain Journal
Celebrations
rocked Gathungururu village in Murang’a after the locals witnessed the drilling
of a borehole to serve them ending decades of suffering and frustrations.
In
a project fast-tracked by the county government initiated through community programme initiative, the residents
in Gathungururu and Athara villages estimated 1,000 celebrated after the
drilling exercise was commissioned.
Photo/ Kimorori/ Wempa MCA Elizabeth Walisper Mwangi soon after she commissioned sinking of Gathungururu bore hole.
The
project was commissioned by Kimorori/Wempa MCA Elizabeth Mwangi ending years of
the locals searching for water from the abandoned boreholes and swamps.
John
Ndungu and Jenniffer Mueni said the sinking of the borehole is a dream come
true after the locals for years have been subjected to suffering.
Mueni
said women have suffered as they are forced to trek long distances in search of
water for domestic use and for their livestock.
Photo/ Kimorori/ Wempa MCA Elizabeth Walisper Mwangi addressing residents of Gathungururu and Athara villages. She said the water drilling is an initiative of the Murang’a County Government.
She
said the locals have been fetching water from the swamps where wild and
domestic animals also converge for the commodity.
“ Now
the residents appreciate the facility and are ready to safeguard it,” said
Mueni.
Ndung’u
recounts how a borehole was sunk a few metres from the current one and the
water produced turned salty leading to the closure.
“ The
project was financed by an NGO but the technicians ignored the locals advice
and proceeded to more than 150 metres instead of halting the exercise at 120
metres,” said Ndung’u.
The
MCA said the project of the county government will sink 11 boreholes this financial
year, and more to be proposed in the financial year 2023/2024.
Photo/ Kimorori / wempa MCA Elizabeth Walisper Mwangi during the inspection of Kagaa road funded by Murang’a County Government through Community Projects.
“But
the locals are expected to protect the boreholes that will be initiated by the
county government as they will be connected with solar energy, “ she said.
The
scenario in Ithanga sub-county where 23 solar panels disappeared, she
said, served as an example to beef up security.
Thirteen
solar panels were traced and recovered in a residence of an administrator in
Matungulu area in Machakos county.
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