Governor Ndeti ignites fight for control of Masinga Dam water supply
Machakos County Governor Wavinya Ndeti. She moved to control Masinga Dam water supply to her county, a decades long dispute between Machakos and Kitui.
Machakos governor Wavinya Ndeti is spoiling for a fight over water after she moved to control the supply of water from Masinga Dam, a matter that has been at the centre of a dispute between Machakos and Kitui counties.
The water resource is managed by Tanathi Water Works Development Authority.
Machakos residents and leaders accuse Kitui Water and Sanitation Company (Kituwasco), the company tasked with treating and distributing water from Masinga Dam, of unfair distribution and causing mechanical outages on the Machakos County side where the dam is located.
The emotive dispute which has lasted for decades rears its head during the electioneering period.
Ms Ndeti waded into Masinga Dam row when she toured the region on Friday. She accused Kitui County of neglecting the water infrastructure leading to occasional water shortages which ravage Masinga residents and promised to take over the management of the resource.
“For the fruits of devolution to be enjoyed and the dream of development to be realized, there is a need for residents of Masinga to get water services at their doorstep. It is just a matter of time before the management of Masinga Treatment Works is handed over to Machakos County,” she said at Masinga Township.
Underneath the veneer of diplomacy, however, Ms Ndeti deployed guards to control the supply of water.
“We are taking it over without further reference to Kitui. We have currently stationed officers to ensure the water is not turned off,” a senior Machakos County official privy to the Masinga Dam water row told the Nation in confidence.
Machakos governor specifically wants Yatta-Masinga Water Company to take over the treatment and distribution of water from Masinga Dam, a suggestion that has not gone down well with Kitui residents and leaders who feel it portends water shortages on their end.
“I want to assure you that my administration will strongly work towards ensuring that the supply of water is adequate since it is my priority to ensure that Yatta and Masinga residents get a steady supply of water. On Monday we are going to start repairing our tank since Kitui people have failed to do so,” Ms Ndeti added. She was flanked by many Machakos MCAs.
Tanathi Water Works Development Authority managing director Fredrick Muamati, however, laughed out at the threats by the county boss.
He also called out politicians for seeing the challenges in the distribution of water with a political lens.
“According to the Water Act, water resources are under the national government so that water is accessible to all residents as a basic right. The water distribution is, however, under county governments,” he said.
Although he acknowledged that the distribution of water from Masinga Dam has not been smooth recently in the wake of drought, Mr Muamati defended Kituwasco.
“I am aware that Kituwasco has been rationing water between Kitui and Machakos counties. The current problem we are experiencing has been exuberated by lack of repairs on the water infrastructure. But as we speak, repairs are underway,” he told the Nation in an interview.
