Police face water shortages

Police pump water from a truck for use at Makima Police Station staff quarters. They source water from Kamburu Dam and truck it to six posts spread in different parts of the county. [Photo: Joeph Muchiri, Standard]

Police officers in parts of Mbeere South sub-county are spending precious time looking for water.

Every day, as residents trek to the Seven Forks Dams to fetch water, in their midst are police officers from at least six stations who are not there to offer security, but also to draw water for drinking, bathing and washing. 

Mbeere South Administration Police commandant Jackson Lemaletian said water shortage is affecting their work since they spend hours sourcing the precious commodity.

He said officers from Kiritiri fetch water from Kamburu Dam every day, which is one of the five dams that KenGen uses to generate hydro power, and truck it to the six posts which lack water.

The six posts are spread a distance covering more than 100km.

Residents and the police are asking the government to intervene and provide piped water to end their suffering.

Meanwhile, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers have shot dead a crocodile suspected to have mauled to death a seven-year-old girl in River Tana near Karura village in Embu County.

They, however, did not find the girls body parts in the crocodile's belly.

The reptile attacked Mawia King'ola, a Standard One pupil at Karura Primary School, as she fetched water on Tuesday around 6pm.

Residents who tried to rescue her by pelting the crocodile with stones later recounted seeing two reptiles in the area.

The girl’s father John Mwendwa said she was in the company of other children who rushed home to report the attack.