- Rabai residents on Wednesday closed the Mazeras pumping station over claims of favouritism.
- CWWDA boss Jacob Torrut condemned the "the wanton destruction of water infrastructure at Mazeras" by the demonstrators.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
Image: BRIAN OTIENO
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The Coast Water Works Development Agency has refuted claims of collusion with politicians to sell water to cartels who then resell it to Rabai residents at exorbitant prices.
This comes after Rabai residents on Wednesday closed the Mazeras pumping station over claims of favouritism.
Led by activist and former nominated Senator Emma Mbura, the residents stormed the CWWDA Bulk Water Supply Unit facilities in Mazeras, closing the water pumps and forcing water bowsers to flee.
They said they have not received water in their taps for the last three months yet water is seen flowing from the main pumps into the water bowsers, from which they are forced to buy at exorbitant prices.
A jerry can goes for as much as Sh100.
“All this while they still bring us monthly bills amounting to Sh4,000. Are we paying for air?” posed Mbura.
However, CWWDA boss Jacob Torrut condemned the "the wanton destruction of water infrastructure at Mazeras" by the demonstrators.
This, he said, led to waste of the valuable resource, warning residents to expect another shutdown to allow for repair works, which will be expensive.
“We urge mwanachi to restrain from damaging water infrastructure at any time, as this ultimately interferes with regular water supply to them,” Torrut said.
According to CWWDA technical manager Martin Tsuma, Rabai residents’ demand for water is around 5,000 cubic metres daily.
However, CWWDA is only able to supply about 14,000 cubic metres to be shared between Mombasa and Kilifi counties.
Tsuma said they draw about 40,000 cubic meters from Mzima Springs in Taita Taveta county, but because of the old ad dilapidated nature of the Mzima pipeline, which was laid in 1953, there is constant burst and leaks which cause about 20 per cent water loss.
“Apart from the spillage, there are off-takes at Manyani, Voi, Maungu, Taru, Samburu and Mariakani so that by the time the water gets to the Mazeras pumping station, a lot has been used or lost,” said Tsuma.
The national government is planning to establish a new Mzima 2 pipe, which will be 22km long and will increase supply to Mombasa and its environs by 70,000 cubic metres.
The Mzima 2 pipe will draw 105,000 cubic metres of water from the Mzima Springs daily.
Tsuma said of these, 35,000 cubic metres will be consumed by the off-takes at the different stations mentioned earlier.
He said the bowsers that fetch water from Mabirikani pumping station use water from the reservoirs.
He said a full water bowser tank only has about 16-18 cubic metres of water.
“So even if 10 water bowsers fetch water at the station, it will only be about 1,600 cubic metres of water.
Rabai residents demand about 5,000 cubic metres of water daily. “We understand their frustrations but we are working as hard as we can to ensure this problem is sorted out,” Tsuma said.
He said once the bursts along the old Mzima pipe are addressed, priority is always given to Rabai residents so that they get as much water as possible.
Torrut said the CWWDA bulk water supply operation supplies an average of six million litres (6,000 cubic metres) of water per day to Kilifi – Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company and 10 million litres (10,000 cubic metres) per day to Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company.
These are two of the five water service providers that CWWDA supplies bulk water to.
Others are Malindi Water & Sewerage Company, Kwale Water & Sewerage Company and Taita-Voi Water & Sewerage Company.
Mbura and former Kaloleni MP Chibule wa Tsuma on Wednesday said they will organise more protests until they get water in their taps.
They accused senior politicians in Kilifi county of colluding with senior officers at CWWDA to deny residents water and sell to owners of water bowsers.
“Most senior politicians in Kilifi own water bowsers, that is why they create artificial water shortage,” Mbura said.
Torrut however denied the accusations, saying they take their work seriously.
“CWWDA is committed to its vision of developing water and sanitation infrastructure as a means of increasing accessibility to water in the Coast region,” he said in a statement.
Mbura is planning to campaign against some of the senior politicians in the county, saying they are to blame for the constant water problems in Kilifi.
On Wednesday, the protestors opened the tap at Mabirikani (Mazeras) pump station, bathing and washing their motorcycles using the water that was gushing out, while chanting victory songs.
Mbura said while there is no water in the residents’ taps, water bowsers get water daily from the Mabirikani pump station.
“In their officers, there is always running water in the taps. Where do they get this water from? Are we second class citizens?” said Mbura.
At the Bulk Water Unit offices, an officer identified as Harrison Maro had a difficult time controlling the protestors, who demanded to speak to the manager.
Maro’s pleas for calm fell on deaf ears, forcing him to call for reinforcement.
However, a police officer manning the offices also failed to calm the angry protestors.
“We are not here to cause any trouble. We only want explanations from this office, why we have water scarcity while we see water bowsers get water from here which they sell to us at exorbitant prices,” said Sammy Kavutsu.
Kavutsu said with no water, Rabai residents are at greater risk of contracting Covid-19 because they cannot wash their hands. Sanitisers are too expensive for them, they said.
“Children go to school and cannot wash their hands. This is dangerous for their lives,” said Kavutsu.
Festus Kenga, a boda boda rider, said most of them lose clients because they are dirty. “We cannot bathe. There is no water to bathe. We cannot wash our clothes. Clients run away from us,” said Kenga.
Edited by Henry Makori