Protesting Murang’a water firm Muwasco staff turns off taps

Water consumers in Murang’a town have woken up to a rude shock after finding their taps dry.

This was after workers at the Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) disconnected water supply and downed their tools to express their dissatisfaction with Governor Mwangi Wa Iria’s plans to take over the management of water companies in the county.

Residents of Murang’a town, Mumbi Estate, Mukuyu, Maragi, Kiharu Estate and Kandundu village who depend on water from Muwasco castigated the company for dragging them into their wars with the county government.

SABOTAGE

“The water company should never subject us to punishment just because the county government has decided to take over management. That is economic sabotage because we pay for the water in time but they are making us suffer,” Mr Mwangi Muiruri from Mukuyu market said.

He wondered why Muwasco had not given them notice that they would disconnect water so that they could take measures to ensure they had enough water to drink and to perform household chores.

“This is impunity and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions should move in swiftly to investigate it,” Ms Beatrice Njoki said.

NO RESPONSE

Efforts to get comments from Muwasco Managing Director Daniel Ng’ang’a and the company’s Public Relations Officer Jacob Mbuthia did not bear fruit as they neither responded to our calls nor reply to text messages.

Last week, Governor Wa Iria invited the management of Muwasco to his office and announced that he would absorb the water company employees into the county public service board, a move that they did not go well with them.

The angry workers then planned for a protest on Monday at 11am.

But Governor Wa Iria told the Nation on Monday that he had received the consumers’ concerns and that he would personally ensure that the water is re-connected.

“It is so wrong for Muwasco to disconnect water because they want to prove they own the company. I will not only spearhead the re-connection but we shall change the mode of payment where water consumers will be paying directly to the county government,” he told the Nation by phone.

Two groups clashed during the Monday protests.

One faction allied to former Muwasco chairman Peter Munga castigated Governor Wa Iria for taking over the control of water companies while the other castigated Muwasco for disconnecting water supply.