The Lifestraw A portable water filter that could save millions of third world lives Mail Online

This is very hopeful news for people who have access only to a questionable water source.

Raziya

Would you drink water from a TOILET? This straw lets you do just that (and it's also saving millions of lives)

• LifeStraw is portable water filter developed in Denmark
• Enabling millions of people in Third World do drink unclean water safely
• Removes 99.99% of water-borne bacteria
• Now being sold on Firebox for £29.99

By Martha De Lacey
PUBLISHED: 09:14 GMT, 13 August 2013 | UPDATED: 10:33 GMT, 13 August 2013 

It's the bane of every hiker's life: what to do when you run out of water.
Is it safe to drink from the nearby stream? Would you risk sipping from that pond over there? Is your level of thirst greater than your willingness to spend the next four days doubled over in the bathroom? Why didn't I just pack my Brita water filter?
But now there's an answer: a straw-shaped portable water filter that enables you to drink safely from any body of water - even from a puddle. Or, in fact, from a toilet.

Would you drink from your toilet? Now you can, thanks to the LifeStraw, available for £29.99 on Firebox, that makes sipping from lakes, ponds and puddles safe.

The LifeStraw was developed in Denmark in 2005 and hopes to save millions of people in Third World countries where a child dies every 15 seconds as a result of drinking dirty water.

Now available to buy online via Firebox, the 22cm-long LifeStraw was originally developed by Danish manufacturers in 2005 as a solution to the devastating problem of unsafe drinking water in the Third World, where one child dies every 15 seconds as a result of drinking dirty water.

That year it was named Best Invention of 2005 by Time Magazine and Invention of the Century by Gizmag, and in 2006 it was heralded by the New York Times as 'a water purifier that could save lives'. Forbes Magazine called it 'one of the ten things that will change the way we live'.

The straw's powerful purification pipe removes 99.9999 per cent of water-borne bacteria plus many other parasites, including E-coli, campylobacter, vibrio cholerae, pseudomonas aeruginosa, shigella and salmonella.

And it will safely filter at least 1000 litres of water. (There are only about 13 in your toilet cistern, so plenty to go around.)

The portable LifeStraw kills 99.99 per cent of bacteria and filters at least 1000 litres of water in its lifetime.

A Bohra Guy's contribution to Water crisis facing the world - a drop at a time

What an inspiring story! We can ALL apply this in our daily lives, too.

Raziya

Does it make a difference? A friend once told me that water cannot be created or destroyed and the number of drops, so to speak, that exist on the planet will never decrease, whether you save or not.

Saving The Planet, One Drop At A Time - as they say tipe tipe sarover bharai or drop by drop form a river.

An inspiring true story that shows just how simple it can be for one person with an idea to make a difference.

Aabid Surti is an odd character. A few years ago, the angular, bearded author was invited to meet the President of India to receive a national award for literature at a ceremony in the capital, New Delhi . He politely declined. Absorbed in writing the first draft of his new novel, he cited the reason that he did not have time. But what he has made time for every Sunday for seven years now, is going door-to-door in Mira Road , a non-descript suburb of Mumbai, with a plumber in tow, asking residents if they need their tap fixed for free!

As a distinguished Indian painter and author, Aabid has written around 80 books but no story so moved him as the truth about water scarcity on the planet. "I read an interview of the former UN chief Boutros Boutros Ghali," he recalls, "who said that by 2025 more than 40 countries are expected to experience water crisis. I remembered my childhood in a ghetto fighting for each bucket of water. I knew that shortage of water is the end of civilized life."

Around the same time, in 2007, he was sitting in a friend's house and noticed a leaky tap. It bothered him. When he pointed it out, his friend, like others, dismissed it casually: it was too expensive and inconvenient to call a plumber for such a minor job – even plumbers resisted coming to only replace old gaskets.

A few days later, he came across a statistic in the newspaper: a tap that drips once every second wastes a thousand litres of water in a month. That triggered an idea. He would take a plumber from door to door and fix taps for free – one apartment complex every weekend.

As a creative artist, he had earned more goodwill than money and the first challenge was funding. "But," he says, "if you have a noble thought, nature takes care of it." Within a few days, he got a message that he was unexpectedly being awarded Rs.1,00,000 ($2,000) by the Hindi Sahitya Sansthan (UP) for his contribution to Hindi literature. And one Sunday morning in 2007, the International Year of Water, he set out with a plumber to fix the problem for his neighbors.

He began by simply replacing old O-ring rubber gaskets with new ones, buying new fixtures from the wholesale market. He named his one-man NGO 'Drop Dead' and created a tagline: save every drop… or drop dead.

Every Sunday, the Drop Dead team – which consisted of Aabid himself, Riyaaz the plumber and a female volunteer Tejal – picked the apartment blocks, got permission from the housing societies, and got to work. A day before, Tejal would hand out pamphlets explaining their mission and paste posters in elevators and apartment lobbies spreading awareness on the looming water crisis. And by Sunday afternoon, they would ensure the buildings were drip-dry.

By the end of the first year, they had visited 1533 homes and fixed around 400 taps. Slowly, the news began to spread.

In March 2008, director Shekhar Kapur, who was working on his own water conservation film, heard about Aabid's efforts and wrote on his website:'Aabid Surti, thank you so much for who you are. I wish there were more people like you in this world. Keep in touch with us and keep inspiring us. Shekhar.'

Local newspapers began to write about Drop Dead, which prompted a further flood of grateful emails and spontaneous messages. One of the most heartfelt messages was from superstar actor-producer Shah Rukh Khan, a longtime fan of Aabid's work as a comic book creator. After reading the newspaper report titled 'City of Angels', he wrote to Aabid: "…It sounds like one of the little big things my dad would have done.Strange that I have enjoyed [your comic] Bahadur in my childhood and enjoyed reading your tap story so many years down the line… when I am father myself. God bless you and yes, I believe in angels after reading the newspaper."

In 2010, Aabid Surti was nominated for the CNN-IBN CJ 'Be The Change' Award. In the same year, a television crew from Berlin flew down to follow him on his Sunday rounds which continued come monsoon or shine.

It's hard to say how much water he has saved with his mission, given that the faucets he fixed could have continued leaking for months, and maybe years, had he not rung the doorbell one Sunday morning. But conservatively, it could be estimated that he has single-handedly saved at least 5.5m litres of water till date.

In the summer of 2013, the state where Aabid lives is expecting its worst drought in 40 years. Months in advance, the Chief Minister Prithviraj Chauhan has warned citizens to begin conserving water. While ministers lobby for drought-relief packages worth millions of dollars, Aabid sees his own approach as simple and inexpensive.

As he rings another door-bell on yet another Sunday in Mira Road , seven years into his one-man mission, he says: "Anyone can launch a water conservation project in his or her area. That's the beauty of this concept. It doesn't require much funding or even an office. And most importantly, it puts the power back in our own hands."

I would call him a modern-day angel; I am lucky I get to call him dad.

Re: METER ON A/C.NO.070/7004204000:Mr.N.P.Shah in Ganjoni,Mombasa DISCONNECTED for NON PAYMENT of 1394.83 DUE ON 27/2/2013.why?

'Afternoon, Shaileen!

Though ALL of our so-called 'service' providers are very lack-a-daisical with regards to the GIVING of service, they suddenly and surprisingly become SUPER EFFICIENT or should I say over enthusiastic when it comes to extracting money or disconnecting us from a very questionable supply!!!!

Btw, quite a few of the email addresses that you've sent your letter to, either no longer exist or have changed their emails. Unfortunately, I don't know what the correct ones are, any longer, either.

I'm also sending this to COFEK who are the latest Consumer watchdogs and NOT consumerfirst. They no longer exist!

Well, that's all and I hope that you'll get the required response from the MD of the MOWASCO, Eng. Moses Kinya to whom I'm also fwding your email.

Best wishes,

Raziya

 

On Wed, Feb 27, 2013 at 1:13 PM, SHAILEEN <shaileen1952@gmail.com> wrote:

To,

The Managing Director,

Mombasa Water Supply & Sanitation Co.Ltd,
MOMBASA.

One of your employees Mr.Mutinda(0724904030) disconnected our water meter this morning :WHY?          

PERTINENT POINTS for your INSPECTION/INVESTIGATION & INTROSPECTION:

1.When Mr.Mutinda arrived at our premises,he talked to one of our servants,that he had come to disconnect our water meter for NON PAYMENT.

2.My servant requested him to wait ,'cause both my wife and i were not in at that moment,and to come back at approx NOON,when the landlords be back.

DESPITE all explantions he DISCONNECTED our WATER METER.

3.Your Bill dated 9/2/2013,was posted to us on 22/2/2013,the DUE DATE being 27/2/2013:WHY the DELAY in posting?

4.WHY DISSCONNECT the WATER METER on the morning of DUE DATE:27/2/2013,when the DAY is NOT OVER?

5.If one of your clients have NOT been able to pay IN TIME,least you could do is to communicate(Phone,email,visit,etc)to the client and REQUEST immediate payment,BUT NOT TO DISCONNECT their WATER METER!

6.How DARE your employees HARRASS your Company's clients WHO COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE to ALL YOUR SALARIES?

7.SACK ALL your INEFFICIENT EMPLOYEES!

I am absolutely DISGUSTED with your employees as per above incident,and DEMAND A LETTER of EXPLANATION & APOLOGY.

Mr.Shaileen NPN Shah

Mr.Shaileen NPN Shah,B.Sc.Pharmacy(Hons)

Manmade quakes: Spanish 2011 deadly tremor caused by water extraction – study | The Muslim Times

Manmade quakes: Spanish 2011 deadly tremor caused by water extraction – study | The Muslim Times:

'via Blog this'

Report: Poverty and political conflict in Mombasa

This is an excellent assessment of what ails

our once beautiful and safe and friendly town...

Raziya

For those who want a comprehensive analysis of Mombasa
here is a detailed report available in pdf format .
> http://www.bvsde.paho.org/bvsacd/cd26/enurb/v12n1/153.pdf
>
> Poverty and political conflict in Mombasa
> Carole Rakodi, Rose Gatabaki-Kamau and Nick Devas
>
> SUMMARY: This paper describes how complex political struggles in Mombasa
> underlie the inadequate provision for basic infrastructure and services, and
> the corruption and lack of accountability within government. These struggles
> are underpinned by overlapping responsibilities and rivalry between central
> and local government, and a political system (both national and local) which
> plays on ethnic and tribal loyalties as a basis for support and reward. The
> paper also describes how and why the city has failed to fully realize its
> economic potential, has extensive poverty and experiences major inadequacies
> in provision for water, sanitation, garbage collection, health care,
> education and housing. Drawing on the findings of
> a recent participatory poverty assessment, the paper outlines the coping
> strategies of poor and very poor households and suggests measures which
> would help ensure that their needs receive more attention.
>
> In this article, the state of the city's economy is analyzed, with
> particular reference to the opportunities it generates for the poor. This is
> followed by a review of the evidence on the extent and nature of poverty.
> Important in this context is the social heterogeneity of the city, a product
> both of the economic opportunities available and of its history.
> Responsibility for governance is divided, mainly between the Mombasa
> Municipal Council (MMC) and the district organization of central government.
> Central-local relations are key to understanding the city's politics. The
> performance of public service providers is assessed in Section IV, followed
> by an analysis of the characteristics, dynamics and governance of the
> informal settlements in which the majority of the city's population,
> including
> the poor, live. Finally, recent attempts to devise more appropriate
> approaches to poverty reduction are described.
>
> Carole Rakodi is a professor in the Department of City and
> Regional Planning, Cardiff University and course director of the
> international MSc in Urban Planning. Rose Gatabaki-Kamau is a
> researcher in the Housing and Building Research Institute, University of
> Nairobi, Kenya. Nick Devas is a senior lecturer in the International
> Development Department,School of Public Policy,
> University of Birmingham.
> Address: Carole Rakodi,
> Department of City and
> Regional Planning, Cardiff
> University, Glamorgan
> Building, King Edward
> VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10
> 3WA, UK; e-mail:
> rakodi@cf.ac.uk
> 1. This is a summary of one
> of nine city case studies
> prepared as part of a
> research programme on
> Urban Governance,
> Partnerships and Poverty,
> funded by the UK
> Department for
> International
> Development's ESCOR
> programme. This involved
> research teams in each of
> these cities and a coalition
> of UK-based research
> groups from the University
> of Birmingham, the
> International Institute for
> Environment and
> Development (IIED), the
> University of Wales,
> II. ECONOMIC GROWTH, URBAN DEVELOPMENT
> AND THE POOR
> SINCE AT LEAST the eleventh century, Mombasa has been a trading port.
> Arab and Shirazi settlers established themselves as farmers and in coastal
> towns, including Mombasa. Conflict over control of the towns followed
> the arrival of Portuguese explorers in the fifteenth century. Early in the
> eighteenth century, the Portuguese withdrew and Mombasa came under
> the control, first, of Omani Arabs and then of the Sultan of Zanzibar. The
> economy of the port depended on trade in ivory, grain and slaves. In 1895,
> the British government took over administrative responsibility for Kenya
> from the British East Africa Company, and from the Sultan of Zanzibar
> for the coastal strip. Construction of the railway to Uganda was started
> and, in 1907, the capital of the colony moved from Mombasa to Nairobi
> which, subsequently, rapidly overtook Mombasa in terms of population
> and economic importance.
> The city has a diverse economy based on trade and commerce, tourism
> and manufacturing. However, none of these sectors is as prosperous as
> might be expected. Trade has been damaged by regional and intra-national
> instability and conflict, external shocks and poor management of the
> national economy, before and since the adoption of intensified structural
> adjustment policies at the beginning of the 1990s. The total volume of
> cargo
> traffic (8.5 million tonnes in 1998)(3) has stagnated over the last 20
> years.
> The small annual increase between 1992 and 1998 (0.54 per cent per
> annum) can be attributed to increased imports associated with trade
> liberalization,
> rather than export growth. In addition, operation of the port is
> hindered by poor rail and road transport links within the city and with its
> hinterland, and by congestion and mismanagement. The import-export
> trade is widely associated in Kenya with corruption and tax evasion, and
> the responsible parastatal, Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), is generally
> regarded as inefficient. Between 1993 and 1995, increased congestion at the
> port was compounded by mismanagement said to be associated with the
> appointment of Rashid Sajjad, a local businessman of Asian origin, a
> nominated

Infrastructure and Coast Province

It is with great irritation and frustration that I read on the front page of the 'Weekend Star', that the World Bank has coughed up, yet again, Ksh 25.5 billion for the upgrade of roads mostly in Nairobi and further up-country with NO MENTION of anywhere in Coast Province, especially Mombasa which is in dire need of not just roads but every infrastructure imaginable.

Is it any surprise that outfits like the MRC are born?!

Places of less importance like Kisumu and Nyeri are mentioned but not a SINGLE place in Coast Province made it.

Then, everytime some kind of development is carried out, it is ONLY Nairobi that gets first preference.

Mombasa and by extension the whole of Coast Province seems not to be in the list of priorities for our government. I, personally think that these officialdom, yes, including the President and the PM should experience Mombasa roads without having the traffic specially stopped for them, i.e. they should come here incognito without anybody knowing. Then, they will experience what every Mwananchi suffers every single day. Yes, the nasty condition of the existing narrow roads which are jam-packed with unruly, insane, untrained tuktuks, mkokotenis, matatus, boda bodas, suicidal pedestrians and nearly non-existent traffic lights!

I'm also hoping and praying that on the day that these officialdom make their incognito visit, they will encounter their first misadventure at the Makupa causeway which they will HAVE to use to get onto the Island as well as (depending on where they are going to be putting up and I hope that it is one of the North or South Coast hotels they are so fond of staying in while here), the other exit/entry points - the Likoni Ferry or the Nyali Bridge. On these, they will have more 'fun' making their slow, irritating and stressful way to wherever they are headed. Btw, they should also not use their car A/Cs which will make them experience the noise, smell (kibarani is one of them), and best of all the unbearable heat!

There are only 3 exit/entry points onto the Island of Mombasa. ALL of them need to be expanded and added to.

Our government loves the revenue that is brought in by Coast Province but they seem very reluctant to put back into improving the infrastructure in a major town (as far as I'm concerned it is still not a city since it's treated more like a village!), and a gateway to East and Central Africa.

Also, though The Nairobi Star has changed its name to The Star, it's contents are very much still from everywhere else in the country except for one page given to Coast Province. Most of it's articles too, are up-country oriented. Therefore, why should we invest in buying such a one-sided paper, pray tell us?

Our water woes and the water kiosks...

It is very strange and suspicious why residents of Mombasa do not get water for days on end, but, the water kiosks, do.

I have always written, talked to various 'water officials' and generally tried to object to these kiosks for years. In an urban setting they are quite ridiculous and hence my repeated likening to Mombasa being treated like a village by our government in more ways than one. This is just one of them.

How come one does not find water kiosks dotting all over Nairobi or any other major town up-country? Why only at the coast? It smacks of backwardness.

One of the reasons I've brought this kiosk topic up after quite a while is not because all is well in this town (I refuse to call it a 'city' since it has none of the amenities a city should have and water is one of them), but, because, I'm really FED UP writing and talking about this issue and had begun to sound like a stuck record! And not one person in the water sector or even at World Bank could be bothered about making any visible improvements.

All that launching of Citizen's report cards, etc., was just a big window dressing set up to hoodwink the public. Nothing more has been heard about it..... or has it?!

Anyway, back to the water kiosks where they get water but, we don't. Why, again? What's their secret that they do? Have some palms been greased, somewhere? Or is politics involved even in this like every service provision in this country?

There is a water kiosk right outside our estate (Umoja), and while we hardly get any fresh water, this kiosk, does!!!! WHY?

Please, somebody out there, answer....

Crucial to life...

I've written so much about this life giving fluid over the years yet it is a never ending issue in my country and the world at large.

While our government, in the hope of bringing service to the people, has given birth to countless water bodies, these simply eat up vital resources and do not improve anything.

Just a couple of days ago, I was invited to attend a public forum by the Water Action Group (WAG), in my hometown, Mombasa, but, not everybody was represented since many did not even know of this meeting.

Then, all the various outfits, like the Water Company, Water Board, Water Resources Management Authority, Water Trust Fund, etc., got up to tell us whom we should see for whatever problem we might have. Example whom we should see for a water meter problem or an accounting problem, etc.

Now, most of us are thoroughly fed up with all these outfits that we have to deal with because none of them are accountable to the people, yet, they are paid hefty salaries to do their supposed jobs. There is too much bureaucracy involved in solving simple problems and wastage of precious time and money, something that these water outfits were created to save the average citizen, in the first place.

Anyway, there is a lot of unregulated or corruptly allowed water management in this town which none of the above mentioned 'organizations' want to hear about since they are the ones who were instrumental in all this happening.

Sometimes, I wonder if all my emails and blogs have any effect on the people concerned. It is like banging one's head against a brick wall!

And when we read all over that we should give up the bottled water habit, this is the ONLY water that we can be safely drunk in most developing countries since their governments have not put in place structures to make safe drinking water available to all. So, if we were to give up the bottled water habit, how would we survive? Drinking what kind of water?

Nairobi Water Company's haphazard water delivery

It is now over 2 weeks that the Parklands/Highridge area has seen any water coming through the taps, yet, other places are getting water, though, in an erratic manner. This is reminiscent of the whole country and its many water delivery outfits. None of these people are consistent and reliable when it comes to water delivery 'services'.

And the irony of the area mentioned above is that, there is a water tank still overflowing with the precious fluid right next door at the former Highridge Teacher's Training College. While the people living right next 'door' to this offending overflowing tank, are going without a drop of water for weeks on end.

The Nairobi Water Company even has the temerity to send their offensive phantom water bills and their goons to disconnect water meters of people who have not had water for ages, thanks to their incompetence.

Why is it that some areas of Nairobi get water all the time, i.e. are not prone to their water rationing while other areas like the one mentioned above hardly get any water. Do these people have anything called planning in their 'working horizons'?!

One wonders if there is planning of ANY KIND applicable to this incompetent, bloated and corrupt government. The only thing they are capable of 'planning' is how to tax the public for their own selfish ends!

We sure live in the most trying and unjust times in this country. As mentioned umpteen times previously, there's no law or justice here any longer.

Nairobi's worsening water situation

I don't know what the problem is with the various ministries in charge of vital services like water. They never seem to deliver these 'services' predictably and consistently.

For example, the Nairobi Water Company a while ago publicized the timings and areas about how, when and where they are going to be supplying water. They never kept their word despite them having given this in the media. One would sympathize and even cooperate with their rationing IF, they would keep their word about days and timings, but, the residents get very frustrated and angry when they don't keep these.

The Parklands/Highridge area and it's immediate environs, haven't had water for over a week with no explanation forthcoming from these so-called 'service' providers. It would seem that they only get off their lazy and incompetent backsides when they receive my nasty emails and for a while water comes through, but, they, like Kenyans in general have extremely short memories and they soon forget to supply us with this vital fluid. This time they have really messed us up since the Muslims who live here are having their Eid holiday and after a whole month of fasting, we now have to do without water, still!

Why at this time? One wonders if this is not a planned thing in order to frustrate us.

And why is it that certain other areas like Westlands never misses water? Are their sources of water different from ours?

The people in charge of delivering these 'services' still seem to be living on another planet where they think that their incompetence is going to go unnoticed. They forget that we are living in the 21st Century where the mode of communication is much faster than their slow thinking brains and we can now know within seconds about what is going on where.

So, I would like to welcome them to the 21st Century and request them to get their act together pronto and supply us with water with immediate effect. Otherwise, they'd better not send us phantom bills for their phantom water. It would be like adding salt to a festering wound.

On second thoughts, are the water tankers who provide both 'fresh' and borehole water in cahoots with the various official water providers? That is, maybe, they (water company and 'friends') are getting a hefty cut from these water tanker owners....?

Strange rationing in Nairobi

As mentioned before, I have family and friends in Nairobi who send me frantic messages about the water situation there.

Since my last email on 6th August regarding this issue, the Parklands/Highridge area suddenly started getting water, but, now the Nairobi Water Company has resumed it's sleepy state and gone into never-never land, again, for they have been without water for the past 3 to 4 days.

Can they please stick to a strict rationing? Meaning that when they say that a certain area is going to get water from this time to this time and on a particular day/s, the residents there really do get the water which applies to everywhere in this country?

We can all sympathize with the fact that we're all suffering from a limited water supply, but, if managed properly, these umpteen outfits which have sprouted up like mushrooms all over the country, can effectively manage our scant water resources. But, of course, like everything else in this lawless country none of these outfits are accountable and work without the proverbial sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

So, will this email have any positive effect on the Nairobi Water Company? Yet to be seen....
I'll know about this from my various contacts, Insha'Allah, as well as when I come there, soon, to spend the holy month of Ramadhan. I just hope and pray that they (the Water companies), are not going to collude together during this month to deprive us of this much needed and life giving resource.

Nairobi's water situation....

Since I have family in Nairobi, I get to know a lot about the horrors they have to go through to avail water for themselves as well as pay their phantom water bills which arrive in their post boxes every month without fail....., unlike the water they are charging the residents, for.

It has now been MONTHS since they are having to buy water, yet, some places in Nairobi are overflowing with the precious stuff. One example being the ex-Highridge Teacher's Training College in the Highridge/Parklands area.

While the whole area goes without water, this 'college's' water tank is overflowing! How come, nobody has done anything about it? And is the neighbourhood paying for all this water going to waste, instead of for themselves, thanks to the incompetence of the Nairobi Water Company....? Do they have an explanation for this?

Btw, Ramadhan is nearly round the corner and are the Muslims who live in this neighbourhood going to do without water 24 hours..., not just in the daytime?

Water situation enlightenment regarding up-country

I've just returned from a visit to Nairobi and further up-country for the past one and a half months.

First, to mention the very serious issue of Nairobi's water situation. While the water levels at the dam (reservoir), are at an all time low, this is compounded by the incompetence of the umpteen numbers of 'water bodies' that have been brought into being in this country to supposedly regulate and manage this very important and life-giving resource.

Do they know about the one case in point in the Parklands/Highridge area, where water is being wasted at the previous Highridge Teacher's Training College? The water tank there is overflowing with this precious fluid while the whole neighbourhood is going without water, since WEEKS!!!! No one seems to care.

Then, ironically, the residents of Nairobi can buy very cheap (compared to the other outfits who sell this by the tankerful), water from the Nairobi Water Company and in addition also pay 'phantom' water bills despite getting no water through their pipes. Is this some kind of scam to fleece the residents? And where does the Water Company get it's water, anyway, but can't supply the consumers via their pipes?

Also, compared to Mombasa's situation, I noticed that infrastructure in general all over the up-country areas are being improved in leaps and bounds, unlike Coast Province. Why is that? Do the politicians and politics of the area have a hand in this?

Knowing our obsession to politicians and politics with regards to every service delivery issue, I get the feeling that our local politicians seem to be totally incompetent and are least bothered about developing this province. They are just busy filling their own pockets, I think.

Is it any wonder that people from up-country generally regard us as quite an illiterate and thick headed lot. To an extent, they are right.

Wake up, everybody!!!

Re: NO WATER

Yes, this is a good letter and it is also typical of 'water officialdom' to charge for things that they had no hand in 'developing', i.e., the wells and boreholes all over town.

And as it mentions these were purportedly 'approved' by their own 'officials', so why the objection? And why should the people who got these dug pay further charges when these same, starting from the Ministry down to their many companies and boards they have given 'birth' to?

This is typical of this very unjust government and it's bloated cabinet. They have abdicated their duty to provide us with a basic human right and are further doing the same by charging us for water which they had no hand in providing.

Raziya

Chris Dickenson wrote on 18-Apr-09 3:23 PM:

I thought this was a good letter. BUT....... There has to be a way to say to the Water Authority.

"You have a duty to supply us with clean fresh drinking water and you have failed to do so year after year after year. Mombasa Island Residents know why there is no water. It is because it has all leaked into the ground due to the miles of broken underground delivery pipes all around the Island. Broken underground pipes equals no water. The reason why you want to charge us a 'borehole fee' is because that is the only way residents can get access to what is our God given right. The problem is yours so fix it"

WOES OF WATER SUPPLY IN MOMBASA AND ENVIRONS

Water Day being celebrated worldwide this month Water is life to all living things: That is why Water Day is being celebrated worldwide this month.

And indeed as contained in our Bill of Rights, the citizens and / or wananchi have a right to clean water for their daily use Mombasa city and environs have not received regular and adequate water for some time.

At times taps run dry for weeks and weeks. But luckily and maybe for only short while, our main sources of water, Mzima Springs, Marere and Sabaki rivers have not dried up at any one moment. The shortage of water is due to poor infrastructure said to be obsolete which should have been replaced 50 years ago. Residents blame the town water company for the water crisis, as residents are forced to buy water from hawkers at exorbitant prices. In fact Mombasa Water Company has raised its tariffs but has failed in its duty to provide adequate water to residents. Recently, a Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company official, a Mr. Barack Otieno denied such claims, this is ridiculous as the problem has persisted and many reports to deal with the situation gather dust on shelves due to laxity in terms of implementation and lack of seriousness in addressing the interest of the residents of MOMBASA.

As a result of this persistent problem of lack of water, which has prevailed for a long time, stakeholders and residents of Mombasa and environs have reluctantly turned to boreholes and wells for water inspite of it being costly and unwholesome for human consumption. It is however noted with some degree of appreciation that World Bank and Coast Water Services Board are working together to address this perennial problem but the process, will no doubt, take time before funds are made available for work to commence.

Water problem has however taken another grave dimension. Water Resources Management Authority, the custodian of water in the country, require that existing boreholes and wells be legalized at a cost and monthly water extraction charges be paid to the Authority. The Authority does not seem to take note that its parent Ministry through District Water Officers had approved sinking of these boreholes and that the boreholes had been sunk by Authorized and Licensed Water drilling companies. To make matters worse the Director of Water, on whose behalf sinking of boreholes and wells had been authorized, has joined the fray insisting that legalization of boreholes and wells be done and requisite fee and monthly extraction charge be paid.

The Director of Water has quoted Provisions of Water Act 2002 to justify his assertion and warnings. This requirement does not give comfort to stakeholders who have been denied their basic human right of water. The least public would have expected from the Director of Water to do is to call for critical up to date analysis of water supply situation in Mombasa and environs before making his bewildering decision.

From the analysis the Director of Water would have learnt that water charges have recently been increased and that no water is flowing in our taps and that boreholes are not ideal sources of water for human consumption but since the agents mandated to provide water have failed, the stakeholders have no alternative but to sink boreholes and well for their survival. The Ministry for Water and Irrigation had previously issued instructions for all boreholes and wells in Mji wa Kale, to be sealed off because water from these sources was allegedly contaminated but the residents insisted that they would seal off their boreholes and wells only if they were supplied with adequate and wholesome water. The position has not changed.

The Water Resource Management Authority should seriously consider sensitizing stakeholders on its work. It should also give owners of existing boreholes and wells time to seal off, if they so wish or comply with the Provisions of the Water Act 2002.

Boreholes and water wells owners must not be made to suffer for omission and commission of others.

Lastly, unreliable water supply and scarcity and low satisfaction by customers with their interaction with existing water service providers and regulatory authorities which form the basis of the problem should be very well addressed. Citizens and in particular residents of Mombasa require increased access to water and its facilities thereof and improved maintenance of the same.

We must be serious with governance and management of natural resources like water which is so close to the people.

Z. K. Nderu
chairman Environment Trust of Kenya,Mombasa.
nderu@lotushotelkenya.com

Re: WATER WATER EVERYWHERE BUT THE PIPES ARE ROTTEN & The 193rd reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe... and the Council, continues..... (4th)

Welcome to the frustrating world of trying to get clean, consistent

and fresh water. You have all my sympathies and currently it's the
Coast Water (Dis)Services Board who is solely to blame for this sorry
state of affairs since they are the ones laying the infrastructure and
maintaining it, but, don't do their work! They are some of the most
useless bunch of 'employees' that our govt. and in particular the
Water and Irrigation Ministry have dreamt up in recent times.

The misadventures you've been having with regards to your pipes is a
common story all over this town. There are also illegal connections
(with the help of the water dept.), made by questionable structures
that have been allowed by our redoubtable Council in the form of
grabbed plots and allocating road reserves to their henchmen. This
further complicates matters.

RE the bore holes all over - the CWSB is supposed to regulate these,
but, doesn't. Even when they are informed of any being dug. Ask me and
what I went through when my crooked neighbours dug that well. In the
end, this was and is still allowed to exist despite many controversial
issues concerning that water. They don't even have a proper cover over
it. What they have so-called covered it with, is a grill cover through
which anything can fall into the water, short of a human!

Then, they have used CDF money to dig a bore hole within stone
throwing distance of this well and other bore holes in the estate,
which is also near a septic tank. How safe is this water which the
whole neighbourhood uses? And where is the environment department of
the Council as well as NEMA while all this is going on? I personally
went to NEMA and the CWSB and even wrote to them, called them, etc.,
when it started happening, but, it got me nowhere and instead was
threatened and intimidated by my neighbours for trying to put a stop
to their activities all in the name of 'development'!!!

So, now, I've reached the very difficult conclusion that none of our
'officialdom' and so-called countless and useless govt. department,
are capable and ethical enough to take any action and all our attempts
to stop something questionable going on will be met with hoots of
laughter, threats and intimidation while nothing will be done to
correct anything.

What they actually do, like they did in your case is all short term
fixes which will not last even for our lifetime, if they even do that.
And it's mostly all window dressing to show us that they are working.
Nothing could be further away from the truth, unfortunately.

As an example - have you noticed that street lights stay on day and
night till they 'die'? Nobody at the Council (which is the one
in-charge of street lighting), is bothered about turning them off at
break of day. And who is footing the bill? We are! So, why should they
care. They don't even think about it being a total waste of energy and
money and by extension it's environmentally unfriendly. I wonder if
they are even aware of the carbon footprint/s they leave since most of
our Council is semi and/or illiterate and wouldn't even understand the
term, I think. They don't have a reading culture, either to educate
themselves.

Btw, you had better keep an eye on your water meter and make notes of
your own so that you can compare with the one you get every month in
the bill, since most of the time, it will arrive with an estimated
reading and at some point in the near or far future you'll probably
need your own readings to make a point with them regarding payment.
You'd better do this very diligently with dates, etc., too.

Salaams,
Raziya

Protecting & Indemnity Kenya Ltd. wrote at 9:25 AM:

Dear Raziya.

Yesterday, 2/4/2009, I decided to take the bull by the horns and barged into the Water Department Offices demanding to see their engineers and supervisors about the shortage of water we have experienced in our area over the last 12 months or more. The discovery was fascinating.

The Water Department staff could not find drawings of the pipelines that deliver water into the area, as most of the staff are young, from up country and have no connection with the past history of Mombasa. They were all well versed in their trade, and were sympathetic of the suffering of wananchi, but they have no power to correct the mistakes of their department, like all civil servants who cannot correct government mistakes.

For over 12 months, I have been buying bore hole water to fill my domestic tanks, but the Water Department insisted in charging me KSh700/- per month for the imaginary 10 cubic metres of water which we never receive. Every time I talk to the Water Department staff who occassionally pass by to see and read the dormant water meter, whose reading never changes from month to month, they insist that the water is there but it is my fault for not receiving it. So, yesterday I decided to correct the fault on my side of the water pipe line, and after obtaining their verbal consent and their staff to supervise the work (I employed my own labour and equipment) to dig up the pipeline, inside and outside my compound. What I saw there was a dreadful mess. The original galvanised iron pipe connection, joining the 6 inch Asbestos main pipe line which ran parallel to the road, to the house (estimated to be at least 60 years old) was so badly corroded that it was severed many years ago and an alternative arrangement made (at least 40 years ago), using another galvanised iron pipe which was connected to the 6 inches water main line, from a point near a Fire Hydrant further up the road. Even this second pipeline was badly corroded and leaking into the ground. All these pipelines had valves on them which were buried into the ground, the purpose of which was not known.

After the job was done, to the satisfaction of the Water Department engineers and supervisors, I was assured that water will flow into my domestic tanks every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for a few hours to give me sufficient quantity for my domestic use. This morning I looked at a pitiful trickle of water which will probably fill about 20 litres into my domestic tank before it stops again and I will have to wait for another trickle in two days time.

This is not good news, but the worse news I heard from the Water Department staff was the fact that the department was actually contemplating to impose a legal fine of a large sum of money to all house holds who have fitted and are using bore holes, because they are taping into natural resources unlawfully, which belong to the government. On top of the bore hole fine, the bore hole water consumption was expected to be metered and charged by the Water Department. We know very well who is squandering government resources illegally, but nothing is done about it. Considering that the people of Mombasa had no alternative supply of water, they had to spend money (at least KSh200,000/- to dig up the bore hole, and another KSh. 40,000/- for the pump, and may be a desalination plant is also added to the investment, plus the cost of annual maintenance). All this expense is made just to cover up the mistakes of the Water Department. Granted that the use of boreholes does pose a danger of the ground subsiding when the water table is lowered, so this should give the water department an impetus to repair the 36 inch pipelines and other piping systems which carry water from the various sources outside, into Mombasa.

Another horrow story I heard from the Water Department staff was the case of mixing fresh water suppiy with sewage, as the two pipelines ran parallel, very close to each other, and both pipelines got fractured (may be after a large truck with heavy load drove over them) and the resulting leakages flooded the wrong pipes. It took both the Mombasa Municipality and the Water Department a long time to locate the fractures, considering that the laying of the two piping systems are not well documented. Cholera was the first thing that came to mind, and goodness knows what else.

Kind regards.

Captn. M.M. Ittiso,

Re: Coast Water again !! & The 192nd reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe..

The following was sent to me by an ex-resident of Coast Province and it tells it's own story....

The recipients of my constantly lamenting emails in the form of 'reminders', must be wondering why they don't get the usual weekly ones. That is because, the MOWASCO has decided to disconnect my meter until such time (if it ever happens in my lifetime), that we get water consistently. At such a time, they have written to me, that they will re-connect my meter at no charge! At least, now, I will not be the recipient of phantom water bills, thank God!

But, recent 'developments' plus the email below prompts me to carry on.....

There's been the usual pipe burst en route from Mzima since last week and even the water kiosks which have reduced this 'city' into something worse than a village, have not had water for us to buy. Therefore, and since water is life, people are having to buy suspect bore-hole water indiscriminately. In the process, probably starting many avoidable water borne diseases. All thanks to the incompetence of the various water bodies that this awful and bloated government has given birth to. In this case the main culprit is the Coast Water 'Dis'Services Board (CWSB).

This morning, when I rang the MD of MOWASCO to find out when 'normal service', would be resumed, I was told, 'on Friday'. I mentioned to him a very likely scenario of another pipe burst while trying to get water to the water kiosks and he invoked God's help. Now, I also believe in a God, of course, but, there's a limit to how much you can blame Him for the pipe bursts and other mishaps that the water officials in this country would us to believe. Most of these are because of an ineffective, bloated and totally useless bunch of people employed by the GoK to provide this service to Kenyans. They love passing the buck and they don't even feel ashamed to do this to our Creator!!!!

Another friend, a few days ago, also informed me that they're having water problems because, lawless Kenyans (and there are so many of these it boggles the mind), have intercepted their water supply pipes along the way and now they are having to buy from the same crooks. They live in Ganjoni. I wonder if the Water officials will investigate and do anything about this......, if ever.


Chris Dickenson wrote:

So Many New Buildings -
But Coast Water Board Is Asleep

Coast Water Board should supply area wise at certain times on a daily basis. It is no wonder that the cement factories are expanding - because so many new buildings are coming up all over.

But the Coast Water Board is asleep.
It is no wonder the Power people who light our homes are expanding because they have realized the potential of making money by expansion.

But the Coast Water Board is asleep.
It is no wonder that Telephone companies are making money in a big way because they too have discovered that people want their services.

But the Coast Water Board is asleep.
It is no wonder that banks are making money in a very big way because they have realized that money is to be made from grass root levels.

But the Coast Water Board is asleep
If the Coast Water Board cannot supply water constantly to the suburbs and industrial parks then they should supply area wise at certain times on daily basis by giving a timetable in the local papers. This would help households get fresh water for daily needs. And of course much much more money for the Coast Water Board.

Signing off in the hope that the people responsible of supplying water at the coast especially Nyali Area will take some action.

Shanti Shah
Mombasa

The 191st reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe... and the Council, continues..... (4th)

There's nothing strange about our water problems when one takes the story I'm about to relate below, into consideration. It seems that Kenyan society as a whole is, unfortunately, steeped in corruption and the few who don't tow this corrupt line are intimidated by the ones who do.

A friend of mine who lives on the Island, had been having billing problems since sometime late last year and so wrote a letter to the MOWASCO's Commercial Manager, to this effect. As is their wont, to date, his letter was never replied, but, last Friday a Mr. Juma who is working as a water meter reader, disconnected this meter despite being told that this matter was under dispute and the fact that it hadn't even been replied to or acknowledged.

This friend, had hand-delivered his letter and so had got a stamp of receipt on his letter which he had then photocopied, laminated and tied to the water meter to inform whoever might think of disconnecting his meter that it was under dispute with proof.

But, this Mr. Juma, seems to be a very questionable individual since he suggested to this friend that if he gave him an agreed sum of money, he would not only restore his meter, but, would make sure that the disputed amount on the bill would also be made to 'disappear'! He even gave his mobile number ), to this friend.

When my friend, refused to pay him anything and threatened to go to the Regional Manager to complain, this man told him that, it would do no good since NOTHING was going to be done and he would eventually have to 'conform' to his (Juma's), demands.

The story has reached the point where my friend did see the RM, Eng. Kinya, with all this bills, letter and this account (I was with him), but, when asked by the RM, to play a more pro-active role in catching this crook red handed, he refused. He says that he doesn't want to be intimidated and threatened by this Mr. Juma and his like-minded companions. Hence, this account, in the hope that our Regional Manager, Eng. Kinya, will be able to keep a sharp eye on this person and others like him who are in the employ of MOWASCO and CWSB, too, of course.

Now, with such crooks in our midst, is it any surprise that our waterlessness continues to worsen day by day, year by year and decade by decade.....?!

And how does a 'straight' person live peacefully in this unethical, unaccountable and lawless country such as this? Explain, please.

The 190th reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe... and the Council, continues..... (3rd)

I've just received my phantom water bill, yesterday, giving me a dire warning of disconnection on the 15th of February 2009, should I not pay the very offensive amount they, like the Mafia, are asking me to pay for 'services' NOT RENDERED!!!! Another observation - the 15th will be a Sunday!!!!

It is such an insult that we get not a drop of water and haven't done so since YEARS, yet, have been paying their charges. Then, add injury to this insult by having the bill estimated and on those equally phantom 'readings', send us exorbitant bills on their latest tariffs.

For example, my bill has the same figure for previous and present reading and then the consumption says an estimated 10 cu. mts. This in itself is highly ridiculous since I am alone and had I been getting any water, there is no way that I would be consuming this amount in a month. More likely, less than half that amount, probably.

Then, according to the above nonsensical figures, our thieving 'water providers' have the temerity to break these phantom figures down into 6 cu. mts. and 4 cu. mts., at the end of which they arrive at a very inflated sum, indeed.

While I'm very thankful to the MOWASCO, for having tried to solve the burst sewage pipe leakage into the space where my water tank stands a few weeks ago, I wish they would also get this billing and water delivery problem solved with the same enthusiasm.

In fact, the infamous Abdul Majid from the Council, was even brought to this estate by the very helpful Mr. Mwamburi a while ago, since he claimed that he didn't know it's whereabouts despite working for our useless Council. To date, nothing has been done about fixing that pipe!

Why has the Council even got involved in the service provision of water and sewerage, when, it can't do their already laid out jobs which includes the huge garbage piles all over town, I just can't imagine?

The 189th reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe... and the Council, continues

I've received the following response from one of the Water Consortium members of which I'm, one....., unfortunately.

If you read it, you will get the impression that because this is Kenya which is ridden by bad politics, awful and domineering 'god fathers', including the most mismanaged local authority (Municipal Council), we, the residents have to forcibly put up with shoddy 'services'. Why should it be so?

Considering the French Govt., has recently coughed up millions of shillings to improve water and sanitation issues for the residents, here, why are the people concerned in the persons of the Council Engineer and his minions in the form of one called Abdul Majid not be held accountable?

We, the residents of this town (garbage dump?!), who pay rates and in particular this Council Estate, who pay hiked up rents to this Council (which does no maintenance), don't care if these 'officials' are paid their salaries on time by their 'employer', or not. They have a duty to perform which is the reason for their existence and the fact that they hold a 'job'. Why don't they do it? If they can't, can these people use the excuse that they haven't been paid (so the wider public knows what's really going on), and walk out of their offices till they are, please?

Will the the Minister for Local Authorities also make a full investigation on the Mombasa Municipal Council, please? We have one of the most corrupt, unaccountable and bloated council in the entire country, I think!

Unfortunately, this 'monstrosity' has also got involved in our water and sewage 'delivery'. Who allowed them to put their 'sticky' fingers in this sector? After all they have a disgusting and very visible record of non-garbage collection which their uncovered trucks usually re-distribute elsewhere on their supposed way to the town dumping site. Why allow such a hopeless 'case' to get involved elsewhere? They are totally incompetent.

As regards moving my tank up - this person is, I think, being sarcastic. If I could afford all the things he's talking about, I wouldn't be living in a Council flat in an estate which is more than half way into becoming a concrete slum!

Add to all these woes, we still don't have any water, but get phantom bills!

Grieves Insight wrote:

Raziya,

I have tried to analyse the behaviour of the officials you interacted with and have formed the following opinion;

1. Ms Miriam of the Municipal Council could have rightly reacted the way she did owing to the many frustrations that are within the Local Authority. You may have wanted her to act at your speed but at the Council things happen at their pace. Did you try to inquire if she had received her last month's salary? You could, may be, understood her reaction to your issue.

2. Eng. Mugo was quick enough. Good. No doubts that he doesn't have any salary arrears! Don't forget that MOWASCO still doesn't have a management board and in any case Mugo didn't act accordingly, you would have had nowhere to go.

3. Eng. Mazuri may have been honest by Kenyan standards. But who knows that his juniors whom he thought he would just order to come refused flatly and he could do nothing to them. Or still they are in salary arrears too and have powerful God fathers.

4. Abdul Majid had no business knowing your place! Your 'accent' was sending the wrong message...that you weren't likely to cough something.

Conclusion: Put your Underground tank at your house top. Pay more to force water up stairs but keep the health risk at least in waiting. Try to appreciate that this is Kenya where things just don't happen...until there is no way out.

Hassan Greeve

Afternoon!

Not only don't we have water coming through our taps, but, thanks to the incompetent and lazy, completely at sea, Council, a burst sewage pipe in one of their estates remains unfixed. This is exposing the residents to untold inconveniences and unhealthy living conditions.

On Tuesday, 13th Jan 2009, the water vendor who brings me 'fresh' water from the water kiosk, while filling my underground water tank, informed me that there was raw sewage getting into the hole in which this water tank stands.

Therefore, I called the Municipal Council's housing manager, Ms. Miriam Moka, to let her know of the situation. She didn't want to have anything to do with it and tried to hedge shirking her responsibilities of activating the relevant department at the Council to deal with the problem. She, when asked, also could not provide me with the telephone contacts of the 'right' person/s.

So, yesterday morning I rang an official of the Coast Water Services Board, who in turn activated the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company's Mr. Mugo. They, immediately sent over a team to look at the problem and solved as much of it as possible, i.e. what was relevant to them. I was, for once very impressed by their quick response and especially one called Mr. Mwamburi who went out of his way to call the Council's Deputy Engineer, Mr. Mazuri and tell him that the 'ball was now in their court' since in involves fixing a burst sewage pipe which is leaking raw sewage into the hole where my water tank stands.

He also provided me with his (Eng. Mazuri's), mobile number and advised me to call him immediately as well as after a couple of hours to remind him about the issue. I did what he suggested and also to introduce myself to the good engineer. All this took place in the presence of Mr. Mwamburi who was a witness to the first conversation. Eng. Mazuri promised me that he would send somebody over as soon as possible.

Later in the afternoon, I tried calling Eng. Mazuri again to remind him and his phone was switched off. So, I called the helpful Mr. Mwamburi from MOWASCO, again, who was a bit surprised as to why Eng. Mazuri didn't answer his phone. But, he provided me with another name and number. That of Mr. Abdul Majid at the Council who is supposed to be directly involved with such issues.

I at once called his number which he answered but, claimed that he couldn't hear what I was saying and cut the line off. I tried calling again and this time, while he could make out what I was saying said that I should go to the Council to sort this matter as he couldn't understand my accent. We were both talking English.

Subsequent calls to either of the above gentlemen went unanswered for the remainder of the afternoon. Therefore, I troubled Mr. Mwamburi, yet again, to inform him of the latest and though he was out of town at the time, he still tried calling them and then informing me that while Mr. Abdul Majid's phone had been switched off, he managed to talk to Eng. Mazuri who assured him that something would be done about it, though no time frame, or by what date.

This morning, I got a call from Mr. Abdul Majid asking me about the burst sewage pipe and it's location. While I was trying to explain to him the location, he behaved like he didn't even know the Nyerere Municipal Estate and sounded completely at sea. He even told me to come and get him from the Council to show him the exact location. This is very strange and ridiculous since this is a well known Council estate with the Council's own employees living in the staff flats here. The only thing he needed was my flat number.

While he told me that he would come there himself because I refused to play estate guide to him, he or his 'team' have still not appeared on the scene. Maybe, they have lost their way due to the many unplanned 'dwellings' that they (the Council), have allowed to be 'developed' here.....?!

I wonder when the Council will get it's act together and deal with this burst sewage pipe...., if ever? They have no ethics or morals as I've previously mentioned countless times.

Raziya

The 188th reminder.... to the PERSON/S CONCERNED - Burst sewage pipe... and the Council

Not only don't we have water coming through our taps, but, thanks to the incompetent and lazy, completely at sea, Council, a burst sewage pipe in one of their estates remains unfixed. This is exposing the residents to untold inconveniences and unhealthy living conditions.

On Tuesday, 13th Jan 2009, the water vendor who brings me 'fresh' water from the water kiosk, while filling my underground water tank, informed me that there was raw sewage getting into the hole in which this water tank stands.

Therefore, I called the Municipal Council's housing manager, Ms. Miriam Moka, to let her know of the situation. She didn't want to have anything to do with it and tried to hedge shirking her responsibilities of activating the relevant department at the Council to deal with the problem. She, when asked, also could not provide me with the telephone contacts of the 'right' person/s.

So, yesterday morning I rang an official of the Coast Water Services Board, who in turn activated the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company's Mr. Mugo. They, immediately sent over a team to look at the problem and solved as much of it as possible, i.e. what was relevant to them. I was, for once very impressed by their quick response and especially one called Mr. Mwamburi who went out of his way to call the Council's Deputy Engineer, Mr. Mazuri and tell him that the 'ball was now in their court' since in involves fixing a burst sewage pipe which is leaking raw sewage into the hole where my water tank stands.

He also provided me with his (Eng. Mazuri's), mobile number and advised me to call him immediately as well as after a couple of hours to remind him about the issue. I did what he suggested and also to introduce myself to the good engineer. All this took place in the presence of Mr. Mwamburi who was a witness to the first conversation. Eng. Mazuri promised me that he would send somebody over as soon as possible.

Later in the afternoon, I tried calling Eng. Mazuri again to remind him and his phone was switched off. So, I called the helpful Mr. Mwamburi from MOWASCO, again, who was a bit surprised as to why Eng. Mazuri didn't answer his phone. But, he provided me with another name and number. That of Mr. Abdul Majid at the Council who is supposed to be directly involved with such issues.

I at once called his number which he answered but, claimed that he couldn't hear what I was saying and cut the line off. I tried calling again and this time, while he could make out what I was saying said that I should go to the Council to sort this matter as he couldn't understand my accent. We were both talking English.

Subsequent calls to either of the above gentlemen went unanswered for the remainder of the afternoon. Therefore, I troubled Mr. Mwamburi, yet again, to inform him of the latest and though he was out of town at the time, he still tried calling them and then informing me that while Mr. Abdul Majid's phone had been switched off, he managed to talk to Eng. Mazuri who assured him that something would be done about it, though no time frame, or by what date.

This morning, I got a call from Mr. Abdul Majid asking me about the burst sewage pipe and it's location. While I was trying to explain to him the location, he behaved like he didn't even know the Nyerere Municipal Estate and sounded completely at sea. He even told me to come and get him from the Council to show him the exact location. This is very strange and ridiculous since this is a well known Council estate with the Council's own employees living in the staff flats here. The only thing he needed was my flat number.

While he told me that he would come there himself because I refused to play estate guide to him, he or his 'team' have still not appeared on the scene. Maybe, they have lost their way due to the many unplanned 'dwellings' that they (the Council), have allowed to be 'developed' here.....?!

I wonder when the Council will get it's act together and deal with this burst sewage pipe...., if ever? They have no ethics or morals as I've previously mentioned countless times.