Monday, June 3, 2013

Mkuranga residents cautioned against vandalism on water infrastructure


MKURANGA District Commissioner (DC), Mercy Sila has cautioned residents of Kiguza village in Mkuranga ward in Coast region against misuse of water pumps and other equipments used for the supply of water and asked them to take care of water wells which are constructed by donors for their domestic use. The DC made the call last week during the inauguration of the two solar driven water wells which took place at Kiguza village and at Tambani Secondary School in Mkuranga district respectively. The two wells have been constructed in the area by help of a US based African Reflections Foundation (ARF) who visited the area in March this year during World Water Day and met with the district officials whom they promised to build for them five wells. The two wells whose pumps uses solar power generation has constructed at a cost of Sh. 70 million, and both of which will be officially handed over to the village government leaders today (on Tuesday) in a ceremony to be attended by officials and councilors from Mkuranga district council. The construction is part of their fulfillment to accomplish the government’s long term program aimed to ensure the implementation of its millennium development goals which requires its people to receive clean and safe water supply by the year 2015. The DC cautioned when she delivered her speech to the people of Kiguza village who turned up to witness the occasion, and she also used the opportunity to warn some untrustworthy people within her district who do not care of the water infrastructures installed and instead tend to steal these equipment without caring about their necessity to the people. She mentioned such equipments as water pumping machines, solar panels, underground pipes and other fixing equipments like water taps and other parts. However, she said and asked her people to take a keen interest and respect donors who to a great extent have played a crucial role to end up water problem facing her people in the district.
 However, the DC has also ordered the village government leaders of the area to plan for a communal security organization saying that it is the only way to curb against the increased vandalism of these equipments. The DC is on the view of the fact that, a planned security organization will create a syndicate that would ensure safety of these equipments placed at constructed water well which are disappearing in a mysterious circumstances. She has also thanked the donor for their sponsorship which she said has helped to a certain extent a great burden that overwhelmed women in the area who toils everyday walking long distances in search of clean and safe water. On her part, the founder of the ARF who is also a consul of the Seychelles government in the country Merryvonne Pool said that, her foundation which has donated over 57 water wells in some other places in the country which have been installed with solar power with 25 lifespan. Out of these wells, 15 have been constructed in Mkuranga district alone. She further noted that, her foundation has started to produce free eye medical treatment to the people within the district, a program which she said will be continuous whenever need be. ARF was established in the country with a view to raise standards of living to the poor people by bringing to them clean and safe drinking water especially to poor communities. The firm has been engaged in construction of water wells in different parts of the country. In order to achieve these objectives, the firm has been working closely with the local government authorities in the country in order to raise then standards of living by providing humanitarian aid.

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