Reprieve for Drought-Stricken Mwingi Residents After NDMA Intervenes to end acute water shortage

Residents of Mbarani in Mwingi North, Kitui County will no longer walk for over 20 kilometers in search of water after National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) came to their aid to repair a borehole that has been non-operational for a long time.

Led by the NDMA chairman Raphael Nzomo, they also promised to rehabilitate and expand Mbarani Earth Dam to ensure that they end the water shortage in the area. Raphael revealed that they have spent more than 32.5 million Kenya shillings to drill earth dams and boreholes in Kitui county.

The chairman added that the 54000 cubic meters of Mbarani earth dam will be expanded to ensure that there is enough water for the residents so that they can use the water for irrigation and domestic use.

“We have launched Mbarani Earth dam which approximately holds 54,000 cubic meters. 5,000 households, 20 institutions, and approximately 7000 livestock are set to benefit from the utilization of the water and we have done this in various places in Kitui county where we have spent more than 32.5 million Kenyan shillings. We will see how we can make it bigger to serve more people. We have also rehabilitated a borehole that had been drilled a long time ago for the people which has a yield of 14 cubic meters per hour and is feeding more than 500 households with water,” Raphael said.

The residents were urged to make good use of the water and plant more trees to conserve water catchment areas. They thanked the NDMA for repairing the borehole and putting water taps so that they can fetch water easily and relieved them from traveling kilometers in search of water.

Locals also pointed out that when the Mbarani Earth dam will be expanded they will use the water for irrigation to grow crops and vegetables which will help them fight the acute food shortage in the region.

“We are grateful for this project because before it was implemented, we had to travel more than 10 kilometers in search of water from the nearby river. It was already drying and some of us don’t have donkeys and used our backs to carry water. We have benefited from this project because it is near and those without donkeys can fetch water. We have also planted vegetables hence reducing the cost of buying and the water from the borehole is free of charge. We are grateful to the NDMA and all stakeholders who implemented this project,” Celestine Muthaki Musee a resident of Mbarani said.

The residents promised to make good use of the water to better their lives and curb frequent drought in the area.

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