Residents of Kiambu Sub-County have escalated their long-running struggle for clean water to the National Assembly, submitting a public petition to demand answers over the decades-long delay in the construction of the vital Ruiru II Dam. The project, intended to secure and augment the drinking water supply for rapidly growing areas like Kiambu and Kiambaa, was launched nearly a decade ago but remains a stalled promise, leaving communities parched.
The petition, presented by Hon. Lawrence Mwaura, MCA for Ting’ang’a Ward, paints a stark picture of water scarcity despite the region housing the colonial-era Ruiru I Dam. The residents highlight a profound sense of historical injustice and ongoing marginalization regarding water access.
The existing Ruiru I Dam, designed in 1949, was established to primarily serve European settlers and later, Nairobi City. Today, it is controlled by the Nairobi Water Company, leading to a prevalent perception among local communities that its resources are “privatized for the benefit of the city rather than the local surrounding communities.”
The petition dramatically underscores the plight of the surrounding populations: “The surrounding communities around the dam often struggle to access water such as times they are prevented from using it by National Government Officers.” This alleged exclusion highlights a critical inequity where residents living literally beside a major water source are routinely denied access for domestic use.
The necessity for Ruiru II Dam arose from the region’s explosive population growth, which has drastically outstripped the capacity of existing infrastructure to provide sufficient clean water. The dam was designed to be the critical solution to this crisis.
The construction of Ruiru II Dam was launched towards the end of 2014. However, almost ten years later, the project has not been actualized. The residents state this failure has caused “sufferings to communities’ access of clean water for domestic use within the surroundings.”
This stagnation represents more than a construction delay; for the residents, it is a crisis of survival and development. Lack of reliable, clean water jeopardizes health, sanitation, and economic activity, pinning back a population struggling to cope with increased demand.
The humble petitioners are now praying that the National Assembly, through the relevant committee, launch an immediate investigation into two key areas:
- The reason(s) as to why Ruiru II dam was not actualized.
- Whether they are any plans for the consideration of Ruiru II Dam construction.
The residents’ primary prayer is unambiguous: the prompt construction of Ruiru II Dam. Their appeal to the National Assembly is a plea for government accountability and a decisive step towards correcting historical water inequity that continues to plague communities in Kiambu County.
Hon. Mwaura’s presentation of the petition signals a renewed push for the government to prioritize the dam, ensuring that the promise of secure drinking water is finally delivered to the thirsty communities of Kiambu and its environs. The eyes of Kiambu now turn to Parliament, waiting to see if this decades-long thirst will finally be quenched.
