Embu granny leads women to push for water supply

A 78-year-old granny yesterday led tens of women from the semi-arid Mbeere South constituency in a demonstration to press the Embu county government to supply them with water.

Ms Angelina Nduku, travelled 50km from Kilia village to Embu Town, where she joined women from five wards who demanded immediate allocation of funds to supply them with clean drinking water.

Ms Angelina Nduku, travelled 50km from Kilia village to Embu Town, where she joined women from five wards who demanded immediate allocation of funds to supply them with clean drinking water.

Ms Nduku, a widow who lives with her five grandchildren, carried a gourd whi

Ms Nduku, a widow who lives with her five grandchildren, carried a gourd while the other women had plastic containers which they use to fetch water from rivers Tana, Thiba and other water points.

Singing songs, the women marched to the Embu County Assembly and the county government offices, where they demanded action to alleviate their situation.

Ms Nduku said she once lost some teeth after she fell while carrying water from a river.

She said it was difficult to fend for herself and her grandchildren since she had no source of income, while fetching water consumed most of her time.

“I lost my teeth because of the struggle I go through. I sometimes sleep hungry due to lack of water and food. If I had water, I would be planting food crops that would help me and my grandchildren,” said the granny.

Ms Nduku said she walked from her home to Karaba market at around 7am, where she boarded a vehicle to join the other women in Embu Town.

The women drawn from Kiambere, Mavuria, Mbeti North, Makima and Mwea wards said they were tired of always having to walk to either rivers Tana, Thiba or the crocodile infested Seven Forks dams in search of water.

Ms Bridgit Muthoni from Makima Ward said they spent most of their working time fetching water for domestic use, yet it is the government’s responsibility to supply them with water.

“River Tana, which is one of the largest rivers in the country, passes through our sub-county yet we don’t have water for drinking. We want to know what happens when the county budgets for water yet we don’t get it.

“We spend close to 10 hours walking to water points which are too few and dangerous. We also have to fight off crocodiles and hippos to get that commodity. Some of us are weak and aged,” she said.

Ms Margaret Wanja, 59, from Kiambere Ward said she had to walk for about 5km each day to fetch water from Kiambere Dam.

She added that she wakes up at 5am to avoid the scorching sun.

“Sometimes, drinking or bathing is a challenge because the jerrycan (of water) we spent the entire day trying to get, we have to ration,” she said.

County Water chief officer Richard Mbogo and Governor Martin Wambora’s personal assistant Albert Kigoro said the women’s concerns would be addressed.