BY Lynet Obanda
Most residents in Nairobi County wake up early for work, while others return home thoroughly exhausted. Spending hours standing in lines just to fetch water is deeply disheartening. In estates such as Umoja, Kayole, Mathare, Pipeline, and parts of Eastlands, residents must hustle to secure a few jerrycans of water before starting their day. This has become a grueling daily struggle rather than the fulfillment of a basic human right
This persistent water shortage is driving a crisis that severely impacts employment, small businesses, and other daily activities dependent on water. Consequently, residents are forced to purchase expensive water from vendors. The Nairobi County Government, through the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, must invest significantly in reliable water infrastructure. Plans to repair weak, old, or leaking pipes must be urgently implemented to ensure equitable distribution across every estate.
However, responsibility does not lie with the government alone. Citizens must also act responsibly by reporting illegal connections and avoiding water wastage. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): Clean Water and Sanitation, which focuses on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This goal covers essential targets, including providing safe and affordable drinking water, ensuring adequate hygiene and sanitation, improving water quality by reducing pollution, increasing water-use efficiency, protecting water-related ecosystems, and managing water resources sustainably.
Achieving these targets is crucial because many regions within the county continue to face severe challenges, such as water scarcity, limited access to clean water, and poor sanitation, all of which heavily detrimental to the livelihoods of residents.
In conclusion, access to clean, affordable water is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Nairobi deserves a sustainable future where no family or resident is forced to spend hours queuing for a basic necessity.#
( Lynet Obanda is Sustainable Development Goals Advocate Kisii University)
