The Machakos County Government, in partnership with I Love Africa, a Korean non-governmental organisation (NGO), has commissioned a borehole at the Machakos GK Prisons.
The borehole is expected to serve more than 1,000 inmates in the correctional facility and an additional 1,000 prison staff and their families.
It will also distribute water to the neighbouring public institutions.
Governor Wavinya Ndeti, speaking during the commissioning, said the borehole will improve access to safe drinking water for the prison’s fraternity and curb the perennial challenges of water-borne diseases like cholera.
“The borehole will also ease pressure on the principal source of water, which serves the entire Machakos town,” said Ndeti.
Wavinya, in a speech read on her behalf by Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi, said the solar-powered borehole will also cut down on the high cost of electricity bills incurred while pumping water.
“The use of a solar pump aligns with my government’s agenda of utilising green energy to conserve the environment,” noted the governor.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of I Love Africa, Chang Ok Lee, said the borehole will provide safe water to the inmates and curb the spread of diseases.
“The water is meant to improve the physical well-being and welfare of the inmates,” said Lee.
The officer in charge of the prisons, Abdi Hassan, said the borehole is a huge relief to the correctional facility, where residents have in the past experienced cholera outbreaks due to an acute water shortage.
Hassan said an inmate died and another 50 were treated and discharged in the most recent cholera outbreak in the facility.
He hailed the county government and the NGO for the borehole and the support accorded to the prison.
“We are grateful to the county government for their continued support, especially during the cholera outbreak. The government deployed doctors and provided drinking water that helped contain the disease,” said the officer in charge.