Kibwana takes on SGR contractor over water use
Makueni Governor KIvutha Kibwana when he issued Makindu residents with land title deeds on September 25, 2015. He criticized China Road and Bridges Corporation, the Chinese company building a new railway in the area, for exploiting local water resources. PHOTO | PIUS MAUNDU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Prof Kibwana said that China Road and Bridge Corporation should have explored alternative sources of water to avert a looming crisis in the area as a dry spell bites.
- According to Mr Douglas Mbilu, the county’s Executive Committee Member in charge of water, CRBC has ignored the county’s counsel on sustainable access to water for its business.
- A spot-check by Nation revealed that trucks bearing the company’s insignia drew water at local rivers, among them Athi, Kiboko, Kambu, and Makindu rivers, especially at night.
Governor Kivutha Kibwana has criticised the Chinese company building the new railway line for scrambling with residents and their livestock for dwindling water resources in the area.
Prof Kibwana said that China Road and Bridge Corporation should have explored alternative sources of water to avert a looming crisis in the area as a dry spell bites.
He blamed unidentified unscrupulous central government officials in the area for protecting the Standard Gauge Project contractor to exploit the available water resources with impunity.
“CRBC should be drawing water from its own boreholes,” said Prof Kibwana on Friday at Makindu sub-county where he issued residents with title deeds.
The governor’s remarks came days after Makindu Location Chief Mr Jackson Kimende blacklisted irrigation along Makindu River saying that the levels of water in the river were abnormally low to support both agriculture and domestic use.
This is not the first time the county government has accused the Chinese company undertaking the Sh327 billion railway project of exploiting local resources.
According to Mr Douglas Mbilu, the county’s Executive Committee Member in charge of water, CRBC has ignored the county’s counsel on sustainable access to water for its business.
“We advised them to sink their own boreholes just the way other construction companies of their scale do, but they have chosen not to heed our advise,” said Mr Mbilu on Sunday in a telephone interview.
He added: “CRBC is colluding with the provincial administration and other government officials to prioritize use of water for construction at the expense of domestic use, livestock use and small scale irrigation.”
In addition to infringing on the rights of the residents of Kiboko and Makindu, he said, CRBC is courting a human-wildlife conflict by exploiting available water resources in the area.
An official of civil engineering multinational, who is not allowed to speak to the press, said on condition of anonymity: “We are authorized by the National Environmental Management Authority and Water Resources Management Authority to draw water from rivers.”
A spot-check by Nation revealed that trucks bearing the company’s insignia drew water at local rivers, among them Athi, Kiboko, Kambu, and Makindu rivers, especially at night.
