Men from Kagumoini village in Gatundu South, Kiambu County are up in arms with their wives over what they describe as a high level of uncleanness.
The men argue that most of the women put on one piece of clothing for a whole week without changing, a situation that is on the verge of triggering family breakups.
The situation, they said, has been caused by longstanding water scarcity in the village as the local water service provider stopped pumping water to their homes.
“Our wives are the most hit as they live with one clothing for a whole week without changing. The odour emanating from various homes is no longer bearable,” Elijah Mungai Mumu, a resident said.
From the 2-year-water shortage, women in the village are nowadays forced to travel over two kilometres to fetch the precious commodity at the hilly Rwabura river.
They decried that despite the water shortage, Gatundu Water and Sewerage Company has been supplying them with bills with some expected to pay up to Ksh7,000.
“Why send bills every month without pumping water? It’s been two years of struggle. It’s sad that even journalists hardly find time to listen to our cries but I hope the message will get home today,” Lilian Wanjiku, a local said.
The women who decried that their husbands have been threatening to leave them over dirtiness urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and restore water provision before he exits office.
“We surely have to be listened to if our families are to stand. We have abandoned livestock farming as we cannot feed the domestic animals with enough water. We urge President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene before he retires,” Hellen Mwangi, another resident said.
Reached for comment, Gatundu Water and Sewerage Company Managing Director Patrick Mwangi said the pipes were damaged by tractors building roads in the area.
“We have however launched a program that will see us resume water provision in the village. We actually have new pipes already,” he said on phone.
