Agency reconnects water to city schools after Kidero deal

Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero (right) confers with Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Board Chairman Raphael Nzomo on May 23, 2017. PHOTO | FRANCIS NDERITU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Public primary schools in Nairobi County have started receiving water after supply was disconnected by a water agency over non-payment.

This comes after a deal was struck between the Nairobi County government and Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited (NCWSC) on the payment of the outstanding water bills amounting to over Sh41 million that had been accrued by the 205 public primary schools.

Speaking to the Nation, the board chairman Raphael Nzomo said that the 16 public primary schools which had been disconnected for accruing a bill to the tune of Sh3.8 million had been reconnected following a meeting with Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero on Tuesday.

“All the 16 schools which we had been disconnected for failing to honour their outstanding bills have now been reconnected and will resume normal water supply going forward,” said Mr Nzomo.

He said that the schools had an accumulative outstanding bill of Sh41 million for a year.

“Outcome of the meeting was good and the governor ordered for the reconnection of all the disconnected schools so that he can be given time to engage with the teachers and the ministry. The undertaking we have made today is to commit ourselves to work together with the schools,” he said.

MINISTRY TO BLAME

He said that the disconnected schools include Roysambu, Highridge, Kangemi, Bondeni, Kayole, Ruai, Kommarock, Unity, Mugumoini, Tumaini, Umoja II, Kipkosya, Lang’ata Road, Uhuru Gardens, Kilimani and Mashimoni primary schools.

On his part, Dr Kidero blamed the situation on the failure by the Ministry of Education to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the county explaining that doing so would have seen the county government put aside some money to help fill the gap not covered by the capitation given to the schools.

“We did write to the Ministry of Education as a county government that we would wish to continue assisting parents and teachers in the maintenance of primary schools knowing the constraints the government has in terms of capacitation and maintenance of schools but the MoU has never been signed,” said Dr Kidero.

Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association Nairobi branch secretary and Kilimani primary school head teacher Charles Kado said that the capitation that they get from the government was not enough to cater for the water bills they are charged.

“Money allocated every year to each child for water, electricity and conservancy by the ministry is not enough because some schools accrue bills ranging between Sh300, 000 and Sh1 million annually,” said Mr Kado.