Upgrade works on informal settlement in Nairobi County is on top gear. Government Spokesperson Col. (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna announced that in line with Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate Kenya to middle income economy by the year 2030 by improving the quality of life of its citizens, the government has initiated various slum upgrading projects in the water, road, health, electricity and sanitation sectors among others.
The projects are being conducted in areas like Mathare, Dandora, Kayole, Soweto, Mwiki, Zimmerman, Githurai, Kawangware, Dagoretti, Kangemi among others. Oguna said that on the health sector, the government through the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) has so far constructed 19 new level-two and level-three hospitals in the informal settlements and the aim is to complete the rest and make the total number of 24 hospitals.
Speaking at Mukuru Kwa Reuben while on an inspection tour of the projects, Oguna said that the government has drilled boreholes in most of the informal settlements while those which are not covered by the boreholes are served by the 42 NMS water bowsers which distribute water to the slum areas on a daily basis. The government spokesperson said that in the long run the government intends to cover all informal settlements with clean tap water as detailed in Vision 2030’s social pillar.
Water supply projects
“The government has initiated over 20 water supply projects in the informal settlements in Nairobi County and this has empowered the residents by reducing the number of waters borne diseases while also enabling the residents make savings on money, they were using to buy the water,” said Oguna.
NMS Deputy Director in charge of Water and Sanitation Eng. Stephen Githinji said the projects will be completed by mid-2022 and the informal settlements will be completely transformed adding that The Murang’a water project which is near completion will be bringing 140 million liters of water per day to Nairobi residents and this will solve the water shortages in the city.
“These projects are very close to the heart of President Uhuru Kenyatta and he comes to inspect them regularly and he recently came to open the new hospital here at Mukuru Kwa Reuben,” said Githinji.
“NMS has constructed various boreholes with piped water being taken to even areas which are quite a distance from the boreholes and are now being served by water kiosks and we get the water free of charge,” said Achaga.
