Residents of Naluchira in Navakholo decry lack of clean water, link crisis to rising waterborne illnesses

Residents of Naluchira village, Shinoyi Ward, Navakholo Constituency, Kakamega County, are raising concern over persistent lack of access to clean and safe water—an issue they say is exposing households to waterborne illnesses and forcing families to rely on unsafe sources.

Jemimah Inyende, a resident, said that lack of access to clean and safe water has  limited options their options to untreated water from open sources and unprotected points.

“Our biggest problem is access to clean water. The water we use is from drainage when it rain,” she said.

This  shortage not only inconveniences households but also puts children at higher risk, with families reporting frequent diarrhoea-related cases and other illnesses they associate with contaminated water.

“ We are drinking dirty water and our children are getting sick because of the dirty water”, Everlyne Makonje, another resident from Naluchira said.

While Kakamega County has made gains in water access over the years, gaps remain particularly in rural settings. Kakamega County’s 2024 Voluntary Local Review Report indicates access to clean and safe water improved from 29.5% in 2013 to 71.3% in 2022, but the county still acknowledges “low access” challenges in some areas.

Nationally, the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022 estimates that 68% of the population has access to at least basic drinking water service, with a sharp rural-urban divide; 91% in urban areas compared to 56% in rural areas.

Public health experts consistently warn that consumption of untreated water increases exposure to outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases such as typhoid and cholera. In a May 2024 press release, Kenya’s Ministry of Health cautioned that unsafe water and weak sanitation and hygiene conditions can worsen waterborne disease risks, urging households to treat drinking water by boiling or using chlorine, alongside handwashing and safe waste disposal.

Kenya has also faced recurring cholera outbreaks in recent years. A 2024 report hosted by the Global Task Force on Cholera Control notes that an outbreak that began in October 2022 had, by February 25, 2024, recorded 12,521 cases and 206 deaths across 28 counties.

Residents in Naluchira are now calling on the Kakamega County Government and relevant water agencies to intervene urgently by expanding reliable water infrastructure, protecting water sources, and ensuring regular water quality monitoring.

By Joshua Oduor NALUCHIRA, Navakholo, Kakamega County