Once derisively nicknamed ‘Turkana’ for its parched terrain and relentless water scarcity, Kabodho East in Nyakach Constituency has turned a historic corner with the launch of a 2.5-kilometre piped water project, a lifeline for over 1,000 families long plagued by thirst, disease, and hardship.
The life-changing initiative, unveiled on Saturday, July 19 by local leader Polycarp Mburo in partnership with Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company (KIWASCO), signals the end of a decades-long struggle that forced residents , mostly women and children , to trek over 15 kilometres daily in search of clean water.
“For decades, our people suffered. Children missed school, families battled diseases, and women walked endlessly for water. Today, that struggle ends,” said an emotional Mburo during the launch.
The Ksh 1 million project is expected to significantly cut cases of waterborne diseases and drastically improve sanitation in the area, which has long endured neglect and climate-induced suffering.
“We used to haul 20-litre jerricans from dirty streams for hours. Now, clean water is at our doorstep. This is life-changing!” said Mary Anita, a beaming resident.
Mburo, who has declared his intention to contest the Nyakach parliamentary seat in 2027, described water access as a cornerstone of meaningful development.
“When girls no longer miss school to fetch water, when clinics see fewer cholera cases, that is real development,” he declared, vowing to personally foot the community’s annual water bills to guarantee the project’s sustainability.
Jenim Awuor, another resident, painted a grim picture of the past: “We drank from the same ponds as animals. Illnesses were rampant. This pipeline isn’t just water, it’s hope, health, and a future.”
With plans to extend the water line by an additional 4 kilometres within six months, potentially benefiting up to 3,000 families, the initiative is being hailed as a watershed moment for the region.
In a community once defined by desperation, Kabodho East now stands as a beacon of resilience and renewal, proof that even the driest lands can bloom when leadership meets action.
