Murang'a residents petition Senate over water board

Senate Majority Deputy Whip Irungu Kang’ata in a past photo. He has presented a petition seeking the dissolution of the Athi Water Services Board. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Ten residents of Murang'a County have filed a petition in the Senate seeking the dissolution of the Athi Water Services Board and the suspension of the CEO pending investigations over the loss of pipes worth Sh350 million.

The petitioners further want the Board’s activities in the county halted, accusing it of failing to supply water to locals before supplying Nairobi residents and that the auditor-general conducts a forensic audit on all activities in the county and a report filed to the Senate.

The petition was presented to the Senate by majority deputy whip Irungu Kang’ata on Friday.

Mr Kang'ata is also the county's Senator.

The residents accuse the company of taking water from the county without adequately compensating them.

NO WATER

“The Board has been promising to supply water to Murang'a County residents to no avail. This is with specific mention of Ndakaini residents who live around the dam but do not have access to water for household use and consumption,” the residents said in the petition.

The petition was filed just days after Gatanga MP Nduati Ngugi called on the Board to halt the construction of the Northern Water Collector Tunnel over its failure to supply water to the locals before connecting to Nairobi.

The MP accused the Board of having violated the directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta that it should first ensure that the locals are first connected with water.

The controversial Sh6.8 billion-tunnel is set to collect flood water from rivers Irati, Mathioya and Gikigie channelling it to Ndakaini dam which supplies water to Nairobi County.

Its construction came to public limelight in 2016 after opposition leader Raila Odinga raised alarm saying it would have devastating impact on the environment.

Describing the project as tunnels of death, Mr Odinga said seven counties would be turned into desert.

However, government officials rubbished the claims saying environmental assessment had been conducted and the World Bank-funded project given a clean bill of health.

After Mr Odinga rubbished the project, the state responded by availing Sh350 million worth of pipes to compensate the surrounding community but in their petition say the money was not accounted for.

The residents further complain that the tendering process for all the projects being undertaken in the county are not just unfair and suspicious but the locals are not being considered

“Efforts in terms or oral and written presentation to the Board to have the matter addressed have failed because no response has been given,” the residents says.