“Maji yangu haki yangu:” Kenya celebrates world water day

Kenya’s constitution actually provides for the right to water. As the world marked “world water day” Sunday many Kenyans are prickling with the fact that they have not fully enjoyed this constitutional right.

Addressing the media in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi at Uhuru Park during a seven aside soccer tournament to mark world water day, last Sunday, Kenya Water and Sanitation Network (KEWASNET) Chief Executive Officer Samson Malesi called on the Government to focus on equity and inclusion as it works towards progressive implementation of the constitution.

Malesi said the Government should put clear controls around the management of private and independent water service providers to ensure that they are not the violators of the right to water and sanitation due to Kenyans. He observed that there is over pricing of water in Nairobi and other major urban areas hence compromising this vital right to water.

KEWASNET, Malesi says, is focussing on water access and availability to all Kenyans through using art for water and sanitation (WASH), whereby artists express the right to water through art. The organization has also used football tournaments as a way to create visibility.

This year’s “water day” theme was “Maji yangu haki yangu” (my water, my right). The aim of the theme was to highlight issues affecting the water sector by elaborating the  right to have safe water provided to every Kenyan, the need to minimize water pollution, to advocate for fair pricing, and to ensure that right policies are put in place in the water sector.

The seven aside tournament brought together young people and the public at large. The teams that participated in the tournament included Don Bosco Utume boys, Umande trust, KEWASNET, public service and Juja team.

Seven aside soccer involves seven players from each team playing for seven minutes first half, one minute rest and seven minutes second half totalling to 15 minutes and the match is played in a much smaller pitch unlike the usual football pitch which measures 100m x 50m.

According to the Joint Monitoring Programme’s 2012 report, access to safe water supplies throughout Kenya is 59% and access to improved sanitation is 32%. There is still an unmet need in rural and urban areas for both water and sanitation.

(By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications, Nairobi)

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