Mothers express pain as the reality of water situation in public primary school dawn on them (Photos)

Sanitation is a big challenge in public schools in Kenya, a recent incident at Muthangari Primary left parents trembling with fear.

The looming danger of diseases outbreak at a public primary school has been highlighted by a certain Judy Kibinge who bumped into a pupil writhing in great pain while she was walking.

Judy says she escorted the kid to his school – Muthangari Primary so that the head teacher could take appropriate action.The shock that greeted Judy when she reached the school prompted her to take to Facebook to highlight the reality of water situation at Muthangari Primary school.

Apparently most government Primary Schools have had their water cut since last term. Many like Muthangari have water bills of around half a million shillings.

Judy says Muthangari  head master told her that the water crisis started when Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero scraped amnesty program on water bills. Apparently the county government granted public schools amnesty on water bills but later on scraped it leaving schools which huge water bills – the bills were just accumulating during the amnesty period.

Bishop Moses Akaliche, the chairman of Muthangari Primary explained that they have tried knocking on relevant authorities including City Hall but no one has even tried to help them. He explained that the school asked parents to raise money to pay the water bill but they couldn’t manage to come up with the required amount. Bishop Akaliche said most parents live in informal settlement in Kawangware and surrounding areas.

The water crisis at Muthangari Primary has resulted to deterioration in sanitation and hygiene among students since they can’t even wash hands after using toilets.

Judy’s post on Facebook caused panic and uproar among concerned parents, they expressed their frustrations with the situation on the comment section. Read the full text below:

Yesterday whilst walking in neighbourhood I came across a little boy in uniform, no more than six years old crying his eyes out on his way to school. He was complaining of severe stomach pains. I turned round and took him to see the headmaster of Muthangari Primary worried he might need to be rushed to a clinic or something and might be too scared to tell them himself. As we walked, we splashed through water on the road outside the school, left by the huge City Council tanks which come refill every morning. When I got there, the headmaster and deputy dealt with the little boy immediately, which was great, but shared something really really disturbing.

Most government Primary Schools have had their water cut off since last term. Many – like Muthangari – have bills of around half a million shillings which they are being ordered to pay. The school,mind you, offers free primary school education and has no real income. Picture a few hundred kids in a school, eating, going to the toilet, playing football and feeling thirst with NO WATER to wash hands with, flush the toilet with, drink. For all I know this boys severe stomach ache was caused by unhygienic conditions in his school. How did this all begin, I wondered?

Apparently, (according to HM) when Gov. Kidero began his term, he gave schools and amnesty of water bills. But no one informed the schools that the amnesty was temporary. Their bills have been accumulating since 2015. We keep singing about water for all in 2030 but the truth is we don’t really seem to mean it if little tiny children in government schools are being denied water because the schools can’t afford it. Apparently KNUT have tried to appeal without result. Hoping FB friends who know (or are) bloggers, journalists, or have connections to the Ministry of Education or Nairobi Water could repost this in the hope these schoolsand these kids – who really don’t deserve this – get some respite.