Nairobi News

Governor Johnson Sakaja’s plans to ensure all residents of Nairobi have access to clean water have been derailed by the Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Services.

Sakaja’s plan was to end water scarcity, which was the main problem for several households in Nairobi, and one solution was to work with the water infrastructure system.

The executive’s proposed Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Services Bill details how the governor intends to manage the water company.

As the Bill awaits presentation to the County Assembly, Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Services workers have staged a protest to oppose it, saying the governor has not involved them in the impending changes.

The workers have also asked the governor to stop the Bill until all stakeholders in the sector have been involved.

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Among the objectives of the proposed Bill are to give effect to the Constitution and national laws relating to the provision of water, to establish and maintain a financially sustainable mechanism for the provision of water and sanitation services and to ensure the provision and supply of potable water to consumers.

The Bill also aims to improve and expand the provision of water and sanitation services, to ensure and sustain the realisation of the human right to water, and to increase and sustain investment in water development, among others.

Through the Bill, the County Executive Committee (CEC) member will exercise control and direction over the provision and development of water and sanitation services.

The Bill establishes the Nairobi City County Water and Sewerage Services Corporation as the successor to the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company Limited.

The proposed corporation will have a board of eight members appointed by the Governor.

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Currently, the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nairobi City County, which provides and manages the water supply to Nairobi residents.

Also, the office of the Auditor General stated that the value of water supplied by the company during the Covid-19 crisis supplied to the informal settlement areas under defunct Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) was not verified.

While appearing before the Senate Committee recently, Governor Sakaja was asked to come up with a comprehensive plan that will combat non-revenue water, as well as how to deal with commercial and fiscal losses.

The Governor said the county is losing a lot of water through illegal connections, a problem that he said would be mitigated by the newly created police unit, Water Protection Unit (WPU).

As it stands, the NCWSC has vowed to stay put and oppose any proposals from the executive without their involvement.

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