Samburu village gets piped water first time since independence

Women fetch water at the new water project.[Michael Saitoti,Standard]

Residents in Kilepoi village in Samburu County received piped water for the first time in 2025, more than 60 years after Kenya's independence.

Over 2000 people previously relied on unsafe water from wells and rivers.

The feat was made possible by the Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA).

 Samburu North MP Eli Letipila inaugurated a water  project at Kilepoi village in Samburu County.[Michael Saitoti,Standard]

Commissioning the project, Eli Letipila, the Samburu North MP, said the people had suffered for long, women walked long distances to access water.

“The villagers have in the past survived on water drawn from wells, rivers, which sometimes is not safe for human consumption,” he said.

The villagers’ excitement was evident as they gathered at the borehole to witness the commissioning of the water project.

Animals drink water.  And women around the water project during its inauguration on December 3, 2025.[Michael Saitoti,Standard]

The water project was initiated following concerns over the lack of water, which was previously raised by The Standard newspaper.

According to villagers, the new water facility is expected to ease the daily burden on households and improve access to water in the region.

The state agency has announced plans to roll out four additional boreholes in the semi-arid parts of Samburu North.