Activists call for halt of water tunnel construction

Ongoing construction of the Northern Collector Tunnel in Muranga County. The project has faced many obstacles. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Tunnel was meant to collect flood water from rivers Irati, Mathioya and Gikingi and direct it to Ndakaini dam.

Leaders and activists in Murang'a County want the construction of the Northern Collector Tunnel stopped over concerns that the project is not being implemented as designed.

The controversial Sh6.8 billion tunnel is meant to collect flood water from rivers Irati, Mathioya and Gikingi and direct it to Ndakaini dam, which supplies water to Nairobi County.

Led by Jimmy Kagoni, an associate member of the Save Aberdare Rivers Association, the group said the ongoing works are set to completely divert the entire water flowing from the three rivers as opposed to tapping flood water as designed.

"They've constructed a tunnel that is beyond the promised gradient of q96. This means they lied to the world bank to get funding," Mr Kagoni said.

He said residents gave Athi Water Services Board an interim approval to proceed with the project after promising that they would initiate parallel water projects that would relieve the residents of Murang'a of water shortage but that is yet to kick off.

In February this year, Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata presented a petition filed by a group of residents seeking for the dissolution of the Athi Water Services Board and the suspension of its CEO pending investigations over the loss of pipes worth Sh350 million.