Politics of Water

The politics of water has been deeply grounded in Kenya's history, starting from the time the countries' boundaries were drawn. Colonization of east Africa, in a large part, was motivated by the access to the source of Nile. Now, years after, the water issue continues to play a huge role, both affecting and being affected by the politics within the country.

The Minister of Water in Kenya has pointed out the inefficiencies of the Kenyan government in building the dams, in time for the predicted ElNinio floods. Last week, when there was a Trade and Agricultrual Conference in Nairobi, water rationing to many homes stopped for 2 weeks, as water is diverted for usage in this conference. I could continue on with many other examples, but the truth is, the people on the ground, especially the group who are not financially viable, are hardly hit by the issue of water scarcity in Kenya. With the droughts in most parts of Kenya, the effects are heightened.

Even as a visitor in Kenya, I am reminded of this every day, as I pull a bucket full of water up the stairs, to the second storey bathroom. This is made possible, because my host-mother's home, located near the center of town gets water supply on alternate days. However, for the people living in slums like Kibera, or those in the Eastern Province, access to water is hindered by both a geographic and economic conditions, and perhaps, politics, to some extent.


Karende is a small Kikuyu village, where my host mother was born. She took me to there for the weekend and I gladly accepted. As we drove two hours north of Nairobi, the landscape gradually changed.

I noticed the changes in color. The soil is red and fertile. The trees lush and green. This is the highlands, I was told. A land the British once occupied to plant tea and coffee for export. Today, the inhibitants of the highlands continue to engage in farming.

Arrival to Karende was a refreshing change, not just because I needed a break from the school work and the lectures, but also because the air was crisp and clean. The next day, I got up at 6.30, hoping to give myself a walking tour of the area.

The first sight I saw was this:





I was surprised to find water easily flowing out of the tap. This was a strange, because for the last month, I would turn on taps, not expecting to get any water out of them. So to see a tap leaking, and to find it left unfixed surprised me.

Later, during breakfast, I found out from my host-mother that there is a continous supply of water, because Karende, the land of Kikuyu is near the dams. On the way back to Nairobi that day, I also found out that it is just a 15-minute drive away from Othaya, the hometown of the current president of Kenya.