Collector tunnel project faces hurdle as Gatundu residents cry foul

More than 500 families in Ng’ethu village, Gatundu North, are up in arms against the government over compensation for properties affected by the Northern Water Collector Tunnel.

The Sh6.8 billion project is aimed at supplying Nairobi residents an additional 140 million litres of water a day and will draw its water from rivers Irati, Maragua and Gikigie in Murang’a county.

It was initially planned to be completed by March 2020 to relieve Nairobians' perennial water shortage. However, city residents will have to wait longer as Central residents battle with the authorities over payouts.

Residents of Gatundu have accused the Athi Water Services Board (AWSB) and the National Land Commission (NLC) of failing to duly compensate them for the properties that have been left in ruins by the pipeline laid through their farms.

Led by Simon Mungai, they said on Friday that they were shortchanged in the process of valuing their properties, lamenting that they were not notified of the rates that the AWSB and the NLC were using for compensation.

They said they had yet to come to a consensus with the two agencies over the compensation and demanded all works on their parcels stopped.

“We agreed that they would let us know the rates at which they were compensating us in terms of crops, including macadamia, avocados, other trees, maize, coffee, tea; and infrastructure like houses. They didn’t. They want to pay us with their own rates which we won’t accept,” Mungai said.

Mungai said they obtained a court injunction restraining the AWSB and the NLC from using any part of their farms for the project until they are justly paid.

Residents Stephen Mbugua, Eunice Njeri and Allan Mwangi, on behalf of 57 others, petitioned the Environment and Lands Court in Murang’a to halt the project until they are duly compensated. The NLC and the AWSB were named as respondents.

But despite the court order issued by Justice J.G Kemei on July 31, 2018, the NLC and the AWSB went ahead with the project.

"Those implementing this project told us that the court order was just a piece of paper and that they were acting on orders from powerful quarters. They told us that the project cannot be halted due to small compensation issues because it was taking water to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s upcoming Northlands city,” he said.

Eunice Njeri Nyoike said her crops have been destroyed and two houses demolished to pave the way for laying of the pipe and she had yet to be compensated.

“The macadamia and coffee we rely on to sustain our livelihoods have been destroyed. They demolished my house and I’m now forced to seek refuge in my neighbour’s home. This is an injustice meted [out] to me and many other families in this village,” she said.

They called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and assist them to get their compensation, saying that they are not against the project.

“We know claims that the water is being channelled to the Kenyatta family are untrue. We plead with him to assist us to get our right,” Njeri said.

However, an official at AWSB who spoke to journalists in confidence said due process was followed and that most residents have been compensated.

He said those who went to court were coerced to take the step by a lawyer who wanted to benefit from the project through the affected families.

“We are still compensating them. Affected persons are signing the forms and getting their due compensation. The ones we are yet to compensate are those with land succession disputes,” the official said.

In 2016, ODM leader Raila Odinga opposed initiation of the project over conservation issues. Mr Odinga termed the World Bank-funded project as a secret and ridiculous Jubilee initiative that would turn Murang’a, Tana River Delta, Garissa and Ukambani regions into deserts within five years of completion.