Sh59 million lying idle as water scarcity hit county

Residents fetch water for domestic and for sale at Lake Victoria's Kichinjio beach in Kisumu County on April 11, 2017. The biting water shortage has pushed residents to travel far and wide to go to the lake shores that are also covered by water hyacinth that pollute the water further. A 20 liter jerry can sells at SH20-50 [Denish Ochieng| Standard]

Concern is growing over the fate of Sh59 million worth of a water drilling machine rusting away outside Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s office as large parts of the county suffer water shortage.

The rig, procured, last year has been sitting idle at the county headquarters.

“We heard a machine had been bought and would be used to dig boreholes for us. We do not know if it was just another political rhetoric," said Jacinta Ombewa, a resident of Seme.

The county's head of communication, Atieno Otieno, said there are plans to ensure the county has sufficient water.

“The county government is in the process of sinking five boreholes -two in Seme, one in Kisumu West and others in Nyando and Muhoroni," she said.

She blamed late disbursement of funds by the Treasury for delayed water projects.