Kisii: Kisii Women Representative Dorice Aburi has urged the government and development partners to invest in water harvesting initiatives in the region, so as to boost agricultural productivity and promote food security. Speaking during the launch of a borehole project at Bobaracho Ward in Kisii Central Sub-County, Aburi said that Kisii receives adequate rainfall throughout the year, yet most of the rainwater was going to waste.

According to Kenya News Agency, Aburi lamented that after it rains, women and children are often seen walking long distances to nearby springs and rivers for domestic water use. The Woman Rep emphasized that providing residents with water harvesting tools would not only increase access to clean water among households but also enable them to harvest water for commercial use.

Aburi highlighted that water harvesting initiatives will prevent women and children, especially girls, from fetching water early in the morning or late in the evening, thereby reducing their exposure to sexual violence. She reiterated her commitment to sensitizing Kisii residents on the importance of water storage and ensuring they benefit from national water harvesting and storage programs.

The area Member of County Assembly (MCA), Ibrahim Onkubo, praised the MP for initiating the borehole project, stating that residents of neighboring wards will also benefit from the clean water. Onkubo mentioned that the project will be transformative for women and girls who currently walk over two kilometers in difficult terrain searching for clean water.

Notably, the Woman Rep has drilled boreholes in the nine sub-counties within Kisii, courtesy of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF).