Makueni County – In an effort to ease the burden of water collection, 315 women in Makueni County will each receive a water tank during this financial year, as part of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) program. The announcement was made by the area’s Women Representative, Rose Museo, at Nthengeni in Kisau/Kiteta Ward, Mbooni East Sub- County, where 45 women were the initial recipients of these tanks.

According to Kenya News Agency, who officially launched the distribution exercise on Saturday, the initiative aims to provide women with clean water harvested from roof catchments for domestic use. This effort significantly reduces the need to fetch water from rivers or other distant sources, a task that often exposes women and their families to health risks due to contaminated water sources. Museo highlighted that animal such as cows, dogs, donkeys, and wild animals often contaminate river water, posing a danger of disease transmission.

The beneficiaries of the tanks are women in registered groups. Museo emphasized that the program would alleviate the burden on women who traditionally wake up early or travel late at night to collect water. The initiative also seeks to minimize the risks of women facing harassment or sexual violence during these journeys.

Since the program’s inception approximately ten years ago, over 30,000 tanks have been distributed to schools and women across Makueni County. This initiative reflects a significant investment in improving the quality of life for women and their families in the area.

Addressing the issue of Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Museo expressed concern over the increasing number of such cases in the county, attributing this rise to the rampant use of alcohol and drug abuse. She urged men to adopt more peaceful ways of resolving domestic issues, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and discouraging violence against women.

Citing recent incidents of violence in Emali, Machakos, and Mbooni, where women have been seriously harmed, the MP called for a change in behavior, particularly among young men affected by substance abuse. Museo’s message to the community was clear: harmful actions towards spouses are unacceptable, and differences should be resolved peacefully or through separation without violence.