This archive report was first published on 20 June 2021.
June 20, 2021, marked a day when the struggles of Mwea rice farmers in Kirinyaga County came to the fore. The farmers, who toil under the scorching sun for hours, are forced to endure a dehumanizing experience - the lack of toilets in their fields.
According to Murimi Njagi, a farmer, the policy of not constructing any structures in the paddy fields has been in place since the inception of the irrigation scheme over 60 years ago. This means that not even toilets were supposed to be built in the fields.
As a result, farmers and laborers spend their days scaring birds away from the fields or weeding, with no respite from the sun. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that there are no toilets in the fields, leaving farmers with no choice but to relieve themselves in the open or wait until they get home.
Ann Wangeci, a rice farmer and businesswoman, highlighted the risks associated with this practice. 'There are no toilets in these fields, and therefore, in case you have to go for a long or short call, you'll have to help yourself in the farms or wait until you get home.'
The flooded fields, which are watered from canals sourced from River Thiba and River Nyamindi, pose a significant health risk. The risk of diseases like diarrhea, fueled by poor sanitation, is ever-present.
As one farmer, Mary Wambui, noted, 'People around here do not take heavy breakfast especially when you are going to spend a better part of the day in the fields, otherwise you'll have a tough one.'
The farmers are now urging the county government and the National Irrigations Authority to come up with a program to mitigate this problem. Antony Muciimi suggested that if toilets cannot be constructed, mobile toilets could be introduced. However, he also acknowledged the challenge of vandalism that could undermine the program.
