Thika residents and leaders are up in arms against the state after it was revealed the area will not receive a single drop of water from Kariminu II dam.
The dam is being constructed in Gatundu North.
Water Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki, in her recent visit to inspect the dam's progress, said that Thika is not part of the dam’s supply plan.
She said that out of the 70 million litres of water that will be produced by the dam per day, 23 million litres will be pumped to Nairobi while the rest will go to Juja, Ruiru and Gatundu.
Kariuki said other projects geared towards increasing water supply in the region are in the offing and that Thika and other areas will benefit from them.
She said the Sh24 billion project, which is 80 per cent complete, is expected to be done by the end of March this year. The remaining 20 per cent, Kariuki said, “is the quickest task that will be undertaken”.
Kariuki was accompanied by Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) CEO Michael Thuita and other ministry officials.
The revelation that Thika has not been included in the supply design did not go down well with residents who said they were hoping the project would end their water woes.
Former MP Alice Ng’ang’a said demand for water has increased in Thika constituency due to the soaring population as well as the many industries that have been set up in the area.
“Thika is an industrial town since time immemorial. Again, the population has rapidly increased due to the industries and the proximity of the town to Thika Superhighway. The region is relying on a water system that was put up more than 50 years ago that cannot satisfy the demand. There is a serious water crisis in Thika,” Ng’ang’a said.
She said Thika Water and Sewerage Company (Thiwasco) cannot meet the current demand of over 250,000 residents. The region’s water demand stands at 46,000m3 per day against the company’s daily production of 36,000m3.
Ng’ang’a said Thika residents, especially in remote parts of Gatuanyaga, Maguguni, Ndula and Ngoliba, have suffered for decades due to lack of water. She said they have been relying on boreholes, some of which produce salty water.
“This is why we are agitating for a share of the Kariminu dam water because it will be an injustice to bypass Thika residents and take water to Nairobi,” the former legislator said.
Nduati Njuguna, another leader, said insufficient water in the industrial town is likely to push investors out of business.
“Thika is the Birmingham of Kenya and contributes a huge chunk to the country’s economy due to the many industries that have opened. Because the government is keen to support manufacturing, it should supply Thika with the water which is an essential element in manufacturing,” Nduati said.
Resident Humphrey Njenga urged the government to include Thika in the dam’s supply.
“We plead with the government to ensure that Thika gets its share else we will have to go to the streets to demand for the share,” Njenga said.
Edited by A.N
