Doctor fights to break area water monopoly
By PHILIP MUYANGA, philipmuyanga@ke.nationmedia.comA doctor has taken the mighty Runda Association by the horns.
Dr Kiriinya Mwendia has obtained court orders restraining Runda Water Ltd, which is owned by the association, from barring him from getting water from the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company.
The resident claims it is more expensive to buy water from the Runda company than from the NWSC.
“The applicant prefers water supplied by NWSC which is also of high quality,” reads part of the grounds supporting the petition.
Exclusive rights
Dr Mwendia has also sued Runda Association for enforcing what he terms illegal and unreasonable rules.
Among the rules he has cited include prohibition of construction on weekends from 1pm on Saturday to Monday 7am and on public holidays.
Dr Mwendia claims that the water company and the association have infringed on his rights by taking up the role of managing and controlling the use of all public roads within the estate and its environs.
“I believe the two have no right to interfere with the use of a public road by the public and demand payment before one is allowed to ferry materials,” says Dr Mwendia.
Dr Mwendia argues that Runda Water Ltd does not have exclusive rights to supply water in the estate.
He points out that NWSC has been supplying water to many residents, including him.
The applicant says that the conflict started when he obtained a permit from the City Planning Department to build a health and fitness centre and staff houses.
He says that the water company and the association have been obstructing him from using the public roads within Runda to ferry building materials and construction workers to complete the centre.
Barriers
“The first association has been issuing barrier passes and other licences to any person seeking to use the public roads within Runda and has on several occasions detained lorries and trucks transporting Dr Mwendia’s property demanding such documents,” the petition further states.
The case will be heard on November 22.