A Murang’a water firm declines to transfer ownership to County government

Murang’a, Tuesday, June 13, 2023

KNA by Bernard Munyao

Stakeholders of Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) have objected to a directive by the Water Service Regulatory Board (Wasreb) to transfer its ownership to the county government.

During their meeting held at the weekend the shareholders said their company will not heed to Wasreb’s directive which requires each of the five water firms in the county to transfer 98 percent of shares to county administration.

The shareholders said transfer of ownership should not be forced but negotiated upon before the assets of the company are transferred to the county government.

On May 3, Wasreb wrote to management of water firms in the county to transfer 98 percent of shares to the devolved unit before June 30 this year.

The Wasreb warned that failure to transfer the shares, the water companies risk being deregistered.

So far, only Gatanga community water has transferred its shares to the county administration.

Two weeks ago, two other water firms namely, Gatamathi and Murang’a West water companies objected to the directive to transfer ownership.

Murang’a South Water Company and sanitation (Muswaco) which supplies water to Maragua, Kandara and Kigumo sub counties, is yet to hold stakeholders’ meetings for a way forward.

One of the stakeholders, Macharia Githirwa said the county government has not performed its function effectively observing the devolved unit may interfere and disrupt operations of the water firms.

“The county government has not been doing well in some of its devolved functions. As residents of Murang’a town we fear if the water company is placed under the county government we may experience water shortage in future,” added Githirwa.

He continued, “it was unfortunate that the county government is interested in controlling the water sector when it has displayed its inability in the performance in all other devolved functions.”

Githirwa, backed by other stakeholders, noted that residents feel comfortable being represented in the water firms unlike being controlled by the county government.

During their meeting held two weeks ago, delegates of Gatamathi Water Company who met in Kiriaini shopping centre said the county government has done little to support the water sector and cannot be entrusted to manage the water firms.

One of the delegates of the water firm which supplies water in parts of Mathioya sub county, Jane Kuria observed the health sector which is fully under management of the county government is doing badly.

The Stakeholders of Murang’a west water company which supplies water to a larger part of Kangema Sub County, on their part resisted the directive saying they have contributed immensely in the growth of the firm.

The delegates who met in Kangema town in a public engagement forum asked Waserb to consider withdrawing the directive and let the firms operate like private companies.

Courtesy ; K. N. A