Obrein Simasiku

OMUTHIYA -The mayor of Omuthiya Katrina Uusiku yesterday ordered a community committee at Kaniita informal settlement unlocked a water tap to enable the community to have an uninterrupted flow of water for its daily needs.
The directive comes after some residents approached New Era saying they have no access to water despite a high-level directive three weeks ago that all town councils, municipalities should reconnect disconnected water during the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. “It seems there was a miscommunication between the council and the committee, as they instead locked the tap despite having the water reconnected for residents’ consumption. I managed to get in touch with the one of the committee members and instructed to unlock the tap immediately,” explained Uusiku.
She added that, the tap in question was one of the very first to be reconnected. 
Some of the communities who do not have offtake water taps to their homes, echoed that they were unable to access water apart from asking from neighbours who in some instances demand payment before they could provide water.
“The is coronavirus and we are told to wash our hands regularly, however this has not been the case as we are scavenging for water from neighbours due to the tap that remain locked. We are at risk,” moaned a concerned resident Hileni Kamati.
Kamati said they are about 14 of them in one yard, and it has been difficult to adhere to the health measure in place, since they do have the basics such as running water.
“The only water we have is reserved for cooking, and we sometimes only bath once in a day or not at all in critical times,” lamented Kamati.