Governors warn state agency over disruption of water supply in Mt Kenya Region

Governors from Mt Kenya region have called on Water Resources Management Authority (Warma) to restore water connections in the region.

The governors noted that residents who depended on rivers from Mt Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges had been forced to go without water following the suspension of all abstractions.

Meru Governor Kiraitu Muriungi called on Warma to restore the water or risk having residents mobilized to re-open the water forcefully.

“Water is life and we can’t continue living without water. We need water restored immediately or we will lead our people to the zones where the water has been disconnected and restore it ourselves,” Mr Kiraitu said.

The Governors led by Muthomi Njuki (Tharaka Nithi), Kiraitu Murungi (Meru), Mutahi Kahiga (Nyeri), Francis Kimemia (Nyandarua) and Kirinyaga’s Anne Waiguru said Warma’s action was endangering residents’ lives.

Kimemia noted that the disconnection of what had made residents restless with some of them even threatening to destroy key installations like the Sasumua Dam that supplies Nairobi with water.

“My people are now threatening to destroy Sasumua Dam, which supplies water to Nairobi. They say they can’t die for lack of water when their water goes elsewhere,” he said.

The Governors now want Environment CS Keriako Tobiko and his water counterpart Simon Chelugui to ensure that water is reconnected adding that the disconnections were affecting economic growth in the country.