Residents had never seen piped water since independence but recently the county government provided them with water pipes worth Sh3 million

Kirinyaga, Kenya: Two years after devolution, perhaps the most successful projects the residents of Kirinyaga County will remember is the provision of water.

The county government has spent millions of shillings to ensure every resident of the county has clean drinking water while in some places, irrigation systems have also been established.

Residents of Thigirichi and Mukure sub-locations in Kariti Ward numbering about 6,000 are the greatest beneficiaries of the water projects.

The residents had never seen piped water since independence but recently the county government provided them with water pipes worth Sh3 million and water is now flowing into their homesteads.

Kariti Chief Samuel Karunditu said the area has been rated as the poorest in the county and following the provision of water, the residents who do not grow any cash crops have embarked on horticultural farming.

''It is unfortunate that the residents of my location have been neglected by previous political leaders whom they have always elected hoping their livelihoods would improve, but devolution has brought them wonders,'' he said.

The ongoing provision of piped water is not confined to Kariti ward alone but across the entire county, most especially in Mwea where area residents have had to contend with the highly contaminated water used for rice production.

Complete projects

The ongoing construction of a multi-million shilling water reservoir at Samson's Corner, will see Mwea residents get clean tapwater while the excess will be piped to the neighbouring Gachoka constituency, Embu County when completed later in the year.

''The county government is putting all water projects under the management of the Kirinyaga Water and Sewerage Company for accountability purposes and we are set to ensure, come next year, all the projects we have started are completed,'' said Joseph Murimi, the communications director in the governor's office.

Mr Murimi said the county government will ensure there is enough clean drinking water for everyone in the area and much more for irrigated agriculture.

Governor Joseph Ndathi is also upbeat that once the multi-billion shilling dam in Thiba is completed, it will supplement his efforts in the provision of water to the greater Mwea area.