HOW NEGLECTED IS JIBANA COMMUNITY?

The Case of abandoned Murima-Mkulu Dispensary in Chilulu, Jibana in Kaloleni Ward.

PHOTO//CHADUCHINEWS: *MRIMA MKULU DISPENSARY*

The Jibana or Dzihana people are an ethnic group from Kenya and a subgroup of the Mijikenda.

There are 38,466 of them according to the 2009 Census, all speakers of Kijibana. These numbers could be more.

The Jibana community lives in Kaloleni subcounty of Kilifi county.

Like the other Mijikenda communities, they have an organized clans which trace their origin from the ancient ancestors.

Since the advent of devolution (2013), Jibana people feel left out. They are yet to gain fully the proceeds of Kilifi’s devolution.

In 2022, Jibana Council of Elders attempted to sue Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro due to visible injustices committed after appointment of the County CECs.

The abandoned Mrima-Mkulu Dispensary in Chilulu, Jibana of Kaloleni Ward, Kaloleni Constituency provokes Chaduchinews to ask:

How Neglected is Jibana as one of the Major Sub-Tribes of the Mijikenda in Kilifi?

Mrima Mkulu Dispensary project started in the financial 2014-15 under Kingi’s Administration.

Photo//:Chaduchinews- *Jibana Community Members inspecting the abandoned project*

After one year of site works, the project stalled. The project is now white elephant.

Mrima Mkulu people are going through a lot when seeking health services including emergency healthcare.

From Mrima Mkulu to Jibana Sub-County Hospital, it’s 20 kilometres. From Murima-Mkulu to the other health facility (Mariakani-Sub-County Hospital) is 25 kilometres.

Why not give this project the required priority? Is this not neglect as questioned by this article? Murima-Mkulu people are crying for justice, justice for health services.

Other abandoned projects are: Tsagwa-Nyalani-Chilulu-Kolongoni Water project.

On Education, they are only 3 secondary public schools in Jibana making a total of 12 public schools (3 Secondary and 9 Primary) in the entire schools of Jibana area.

These schools are: Mwandaza Pry, Maandani Pry, Walea Pry, Mgamboni Pry, Tsagwa Pry, Tsunguni Pry, Chilulu Pry, Vuga Pry, Tsakarolovu Primary School.

The 3 Secondary schools are Tsagwa Secondary School, Maandani Secondary School and Vuga Secondary school

Most of these schools were built during the Moi era in the 70’s, 80’s & 90’s—generally the educational infrastructures in these schools are deplorable and in utter dilapidation portraying a case of abject neglect.

A case of Maandani Primary school where the school classrooms are collapsing with learners scrambling for few classrooms or study under shades.

A similar case is vivid at Tsunguni Primary School. Maandani Secondary school needs total face-lift due to inadequate resources.

Vuga Secondary school (new) needs attention especially from the Ministry of education to allocate more TSC teachers.

The Chilulu-Mkwajuni footbridge was washed away by rain water, the Maluani‐Mrima mkulu road has no footbridge making and impassable.

The Tsunguni-Tsagwa road leading to Jibana Health centre is impassable as the road was poorly done with no footbridges and culvats. .

Funds meant to help marginalized groups like KEMSFED funds end up helping the majority groups in the county with no single group from Jibana having benefited from such funds

The case of Jibana is a case of intentional neglect by both the County government and National Government.

Let the National Cohesion and Integration commission intervene.