Sale of Nairobi Water to the French is real, union reveals
Reports of privatisation of Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company took a new twist yesterday after details emerged that a deal signed with a French firm was authentic.
The Nairobi County government has in the past eight days — as Nairobi Water workers picketed — dismissed the reports of a memorandum of understanding with Suez as fake and politically instigated, saying it was unsigned.
Nairobi County Workers Union representatives, led by branch secretary Matilda Kimetto, testified before the County Assembly’s Committee on Water and Sanitation.
They said that on Monday, Water and Environment Chief Officer Christine Ogut admitted to having seen the document while in Morocco.
GIVEN A HINT
The MCAs tasked the union to authenticate the MoU purportedly meant to privatise the firm when Ms Kimetto said they got the letter following the union’s investigations after she was given a hint while attending a meeting in Europe.
“We started the investigation of this issue of privatisation in February after I attended the Global Water Partnership Alliance meeting in Spain and one of the trade union members from France told me he had heard that NCWSC was ‘marrying’ a company in France,” said Ms Kimetto.
“We later intercepted the MoU, which as of yesterday Ms Ogut confirmed having seen in Morocco but failed to comment further.”
The Nation could not immediately reach Ms Ogut for her comment as her mobile phone was off.
However, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has denied claims that City Hall plans to sell the firm.
Addressing journalists at Methodist Guest House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, Dr Kidero termed the claims political and impractical.
