Mshomooni is one of the villages situated within Junda ward, it is one of the highly populated areas within the ward with the majority of the residents living in poor and inhumane conditions. Mshomorni holds the largest number of non-locals making it the most multi-ethnic village within the Kisauni sub-county. With population increase within the village due to low cost of housing, cost of doing informal businesses, and food, most lower-earning citizens reside within the area. Since the emergence of Covid-19, most people within the county lost their jobs and businesses which led the migration of people from most parts of the sub-county to seek refuge in Mshomoroni area. Recently there has been an emergence of housing demand within the area due to population increase. This has led to uncertified construction of housing within the area hence depleting the standards of living. With minimal land availability, unauthorized structures have flourished which has put much pressure on quality service provisions by the county government. One of the key immerging challenges is improper, insecure, and inadequate drainage systems within the Junda ward and most specifically within
Mshomoroni village. This has affected communities with the increase in health issues, environmental pollution, and degradation.
Since the inception of Tuyazungumze Community Initiative, the residents of Junda were the key targets regarding the implementation of the project and mainly on A section of Mshomoroni residency was affected by sewage overflow.
Addressing constitutionalism, bill of rights, citizen participation, and devolution. Sustained Civic education took center stage to inspire communities to take lead action in advocating for quality service delivery by the county government. One of the residents reached by civic education is Mzee Abdullah Mohammed Said- a village elder within Mshomoroni area who is avidly passionate about matters of development within the county.
“I was taken through civic education by Mr. Wycliffe Omira, a civic educator assigned by Kwacha Afrika, through the processes I was able to understand the importance of participation in county developments within my ward and village respectively. As a resident of Mshomoroni area, I have witnessed immense growth in population and this has brought about blockage of main drainage systems. A month ago we witnessed a flow of sewage water within our area from Taifa flats situated within Mshomoroni area, approximately 40 houses were affected by this menace, and I approached Mr. Omira to assist us with
addressing the issue since most of the neighbors were afraid and had no knowledge on how to deal with the issue. We sat down and wrote to the Department of Public Health of Mombasa County within Kisauni Sub County. The department officers received our letters and a meeting was scheduled together with the owner of Taifa flats whereby he was given a timeline to repair the septic tank which was the main contributor to the flow of sewage within the area. Fortunately, he complied within a week, and currently, the repair has been done. “He Concluded.
Despite Mshomoroni residents facing these challenges, there is hope in attitude change when it comes to matters of participation inward development processes. “As a civic educator under Tuyazungumze Community Initiative, I have been able to reach out to several youth groups within Junda ward, one of the groups I was privileged to support in administering civic education is Brain Youth Organization, I took them through
Mzee Abdallah Mohammed Salim in now the newly repaired Taifa Flats Septic Tank
devolution, citizen participation and bill of rights where I deeply touched on environment issues since the group dealt with environmental conservation initiatives, they acknowledged that they haven’t been fruitful when it comes to securing support and funding from institutions and donors in the past, I guided them through, ensuring that they register for a CBO under the department of social services in which they were successful, currently they have been able to implement several initiatives through support from funders such as fish pond management, planting of mangrove trees within the beaches of Junda and Tudor wards, they have been shortlisted to receive world bank community group funding among others.” He said
Wycliffe Omira also has been working closely with village elders within Junda ward, this has assisted him with identifying key challenges that the residents are undergoing, one being environmental pollution which has resulted in degradation of the environment and the emergence of diseases. “During February I have been following up with pollution issue which was brought forth by Mzee Abdallah one of the village elders residing in Mshomoroni , I guided them as the citizens of that area on possible ways to address the flow of sewage from Taifa flats in which they wrote a letter to the Department of Public Health. The department thereafter visited the area and ascertained the extent of the issue and thereafter served the
owner of Taifa Flats with a letter instructing him to ensure that the septic tank is repaired. Fortunately, the owner acted swiftly, and currently, the residents are safe from the pollution caused by the sewage.” He concluded.
Although communities are eager to live and flourish in a safe, clean, and better environment a lot is needed to be done to empower the citizens of Junda ward with information in regards to the constitution, citizen participation, and devolution to realize a more inclusive county when it comes to matters development and service delivery from the duty bearers.
