Kiambu: New public sanitation blocks have been completed at Gathanga and Muchatha cemeteries to improve sanitation and hygiene conditions for bereaved families during funeral ceremonies.
According to Kenya News Agency, the project is a long-term plan to upgrade the facilities including the construction of modern ablution blocks, fencing, and access pathways at the cemeteries funded by the Kiambu County Ward Development Fund, with an estimated total cost of Sh9 million spread across the two sites.
Speaking during an inspection tour at the Muchatha site, the area Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Kenneth Karanja, said the initiative responds directly to residents' long-standing appeals for better conditions at the cemetery during the final rites of their departed kins. 'The new facilities will serve hundreds of families every year. They provide clean, safe, and respectful spaces for families during burials, which has been lacking for a long time,' said the MCA. 'Upgrading of the two cemeteries will continue. This is to offer good services to the people of Muchatha Ward,' he added.
At Gathanga Cemetery, a perimeter fence will be erected to protect the grounds from encroachment and to enhance general maintenance. In Muchatha, the cemetery now features fully completed sanitation units to serve mourners and visitors.
Milka Muthoni, a resident of Gathanga area, welcomed the development, describing it as both timely and necessary to serve the taxpayers. 'We used to face a lot of challenges when attending funerals, especially lack of toilets. This is a big relief to us as a community,' she said.
The improvements form part of a broader countywide initiative to enhance essential public infrastructure across Kiambu's 60 wards. Similar projects have already been earmarked for other sub-counties under the 2025/2026 financial year plan.
The cemeteries will now be managed jointly by the County Department of Environment and Public Health, along with the Department of Water and Sanitation, in close collaboration with the Muchatha Ward Office. County officials have emphasized that maintenance and cleanliness will remain a top priority to ensure that the facilities continue serving the public with dignity and efficiency.