This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
On a typical day, residents of Nairobi's Kariobangi slum face a daunting challenge: accessing clean water. Last September, I spoke to residents about their struggles with water, sanitation, and hygiene. They shared a common concern - old and new water pipes crossing each other, causing sewage to contaminate the clean water when they burst.
Residents told me that when they access tap water, it's common to have dirty sewage water for the first two to three hours. This is a stark reality for those living in informal settlements, where around 60 per cent of Nairobi residents reside.
Justice, a 33-year-old resident, shared a personal experience of contracting cholera from drinking contaminated water. 'A few months ago, my wife, our child and I got cholera from drinking contaminated water,' he said. 'My wife boils the water sometimes to purify it but most of the time we drink it as it is.'
Water cartels have made life even more difficult for residents. They vandalise water pipes to redirect the water and prevent access to it, forcing residents to pay Sh200 for a week's supply. This is excessive for most residents, who live below the poverty line.
Residents have expressed frustration with the government's claims of delivering free water to slums. There is no evidence to prove how much water every family gets, how long free water is provided, or which slums receive free water. In Kibera, residents line up in close proximity to fetch water, making social distancing impossible.
According to a community leader in Kibera, residents live in small spaces and stand barely a metre apart even when fetching water. This is a recipe for disaster, especially in high-risk areas like informal settlements.
It is only a matter of time before the virus spreads rapidly and unsparingly throughout Nairobi's slums. Even if residents are well-educated on safety precautions, taking time off work to be under quarantine is not an option for many.
Supplying under-resourced citizens with potable water should be a top priority for both the government and aid delivery entities in this trying era of Covid-19.
