Murang’a governor Mwangi wa Iria has replaced the chairmen of three water companies. In the November 1 gazette notice, the governor replaced Gatanga Community Water Trust chair Joseph Kibe with Peter Mbugua; Gatamathi Water and Sanitation Company chair Washington Mwangi with Samuel Macharia, and Kahuti Water and Sanitation Company boss Frasiah Kamau with Robinson Njoka.
They will be employed on an interim basis.
The governor has said he took the drastic measure after his numerous engagements with the companies failed to get them to conform to the Constitution. “After they openly defied me, I decided to do away with them, as the chief executive of the county,” he said. But in a press statement, the three degazzetted chairmen said the county government’s intention to operate water companies directly is ill informed.
They said stakeholders, who include the county government, are the sole appointing authority of water directors.
“The purportedly appointed chairpersons are advised to note that they are strangers to the water companies and any intrusion into their aff airs will not be allowed,” they said. The governor warned the boards of the three companies that they will be held liable if they carry out any business with the degazzetted chairpersons.
“The managing directors, the directors and any staff members who participate in such an illegality will take full responsibility,” Wa Iria said. He said audit reports from the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) have implicated the boards and managements of the companies in serious malpractices. He accused them of refusing to alter their articles of association to change their ownership from Tana Water Services Board to the county government.
He said it was shocking that Muranga’ Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) managing director Daniel Ng’ang’a is being accused of forging the Water Chief Executive Committee member’s signature and stamp to get services from Wasreb while bypassing the county. “If they can go to that extent, we need a forensic audit to determine the extent of the rot. How many loans have they taken using forged documents?” he asked. The governor told them to keep off the premises.
