By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 25 December 2025 - For more than ten years, life in Onyonka and neighbouring estates of Lang’ata followed a difficult rhythm.
Each morning began with the repetitive routine of twisting taps that hissed with air, checking half-empty tanks, and phoning water vendors whose deliveries strained already tight household budgets.
Children grew up learning how to conserve every drop. Schools, hospitals and businesses improvised daily, never sure when water would run—or stop.
Last week, that exhausting routine finally changed.
Along Lang’ata Road, amid applause and quiet relief, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja commissioned a new high-capacity water pipeline, restoring a reliable supply to Onyonka, Royal Park and surrounding communities.
For residents who had waited more than a decade, it was not just the launch of infrastructure—it was the return of dignity.
“This project is about restoring dignity to our residents,” Sakaja told gathered locals and officials.
“By extending this main pipeline, we are guaranteeing reliable water supply to over 180,000 people in Lang’ata.”
Behind the speeches lay years of hardship. Families postponed laundry for days. Small businesses lost customers.
Institutions such as schools and hospitals spent millions on water bowsers just to remain operational.
In some estates, rationing had become so normal that younger residents had never known a time when water flowed freely from the tap.
The newly commissioned pipeline is the first major water infrastructure expansion in the area in over ten years.
Implemented by the Nairobi City County Government through the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company, the project involved laying a 3.2-kilometre, 10-inch diameter pipeline.
Starting at Galleria Mall, it runs along Lang’ata Road, branches through Kungu Karumba Road and ends at Lang’ata Women Prison.
Though buried underground and largely unseen, the pipeline is powerful. It can deliver up to 20 million litres of water per day, enough to sustain homes, institutions and businesses across the wider Lang’ata area.
Built at a cost of KSh 67 million, the project is now complete, with water already flowing as engineers conduct phased testing to ensure consistent pressure.
The benefits stretch beyond households. Key public institutions now connected to a stable supply include the Kenya Wildlife Service, Lang’ata Barracks, Ulinzi Sports Complex, Lang’ata Women Prison and St Mary’s Hospital.
For these facilities, reliable water means safer operations, improved services, and lower operational costs.
Residential estates across Lang’ata are also set to benefit, among them Royal Park Phases 1 and 2, Sun Valley Phases 1 and 2, Jonathan Ngeno Estate, National Housing Corporation housing, Phenom Estate, Police Dog Unit Estate, Otiende, Ngei, Rubia, Onyonka, KRA, Maasai and Swaminarayan estates.
For many residents, the simple act of opening a tap now carries a sense of disbelief—and gratitude.
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The commissioning tour drew senior county officials, including Nairobi Water Board Chair Arnold Karanja, Managing Director Eng. Martin Nanagole, Technical Director Eng. Manore, and Members of the County Assembly.
Their presence signaled a renewed focus on basic services that directly shape daily life.
Governor Sakaja emphasised that water access is not a luxury.
“Access to clean and reliable water is not a privilege, it is a basic right,” he said, adding that similar projects would be rolled out across the city to match Nairobi’s rapid growth.
As water begins to flow steadily into homes long accustomed to silence, the impact is deeply human.
Families can plan their days without anxiety. Household costs are dropping. Hygiene and health are improving. And residents feel, perhaps for the first time in years, that their city has remembered them.
After ten long, dry years, the taps in Lang’ata are running again—and with them, hope.
In bustling urban centres like Lang’ata, the December festive season brings a unique rhythm to family life.
Schools have closed for holidays, and children spend most of their time at home with parents, transforming households into hubs of activity, joy, and togetherness.
This period, often marked by celebrations like Christmas amongst Christians and end-year parties across different religions, demands heightened attention to cleanliness, cooking, and daily sustenance.
At this period of the year, abundant water supply is not just a convenience, but an essential lifeline.
Lang’ata suburb is among neighbourhoods where children take time to go to nearby sporting facilities to play. Without water, there would be messes all over. As they play, frequent handwashing, bathing, and cleaning surfaces become crucial to prevent illnesses in close quarters.
Parents emphasise tidiness during festivities, as families host visitors, decorate, and prepare for gatherings. Reliable water flow ensures bathrooms and living spaces remain hygienic, fostering a healthy environment for joyful celebrations.
Cooking takes centre stage as no celebration mode can beat that one where people are devouring meals.
Food preparations mostly start with washing ingredients, boiling, and cleaning utensils multiple times.
Disruptions in water supply can halt preparations, turning festive excitement into frustration.
Many households within Lang’ata maintain small kitchen gardens and have potted vegetables on balconies, supplementing food supplies. Regular watering keeps these greens thriving, providing fresh produce for holiday tables.
With water supply now fully operational in Lang’ata those keeping livestock like chickens or goats in peri-urban setups, can utilise it to feed livestock and fowls and for sanitation.
Families would not have to queue or buy expensive water and as such, time and money will be saved. No more disruptive routines and dampening of mood.
