Sanitation
200 residents from Kangema Sub County under the Murang’a West Water and Sanitation company have benefited from a World Bank project through the water fund which has overseen the construction of 200 modern toilets in the area.
The Sh4M worthy project will provide a significant improvement in sanitation and hygiene levels in Kangema, Gakira and Kahuro Towns.
The Managing Director Murang’a West Water and Sanitation company (MWEWASCO) Eng. Ephantus Kamau observed that having modern toilets in the companies’ catchment areas would reduce the burden of water borne diseases especially during the rainy season.
Additionally, the hygiene levels and sanitation would improve making the area more productive. “We approached the World Bank through the Water Fund and they agreed to build 200 toilets in the area during the first phase,” he said.
The World Bank funded modern toilets in Kangema.
Photo by Florence Kinyua
Eng. Kamau spoke in Kangema Town during the issuance of cheques to compensate those that had already installed the modern toilets in their homes. “During the rainy season, our hospitals are bound to record numerous cases of water borne diseases from the flooded water and poor hygiene from our toilets but now we are certain that with this initiative, water borne disease cases will reduce significantly,” he stated.
He urged the rest of the residents to take the initiative and build the modern toilets because the funds that remain unutilized after the lapse of the project duration will go back to the Water Fund. “We will also embark on improving the sanitation in our big Towns like Kangema, Gakira and Kahuro through this initiative,” he added.
The company serves Kiharu and Kangema Sub Counties. One of the residents and a beneficiary of the modern toilets, Lucy Muthoni applauded the initiative noting that it would improve hygiene levels at her home.
She said that the toilets were easy to manage and keep clean as they used little water to clean and flush. “This toilet can be washed everyday with little water unlike the traditional pit latrine whose cleanliness is cumbersome to maintain and easy to be messed,” said Muthoni.