Human-wildlife conflicts in Mwatate constituency have led to increased school dropout, MP Andrew Mwadime said yesterday.
He said the conflict has disrupted learning in several schools. “The constituents are at war with wildlife over access to water in the constituency,” Mwadime said.
He said the ongoing standard gauge railway project has caused the human-wildlife conflicts.
Mwadime spoke during this year’s Coast Water Services Board’s annual stakeholders’ forum at the Pride Inn Paradise Hotel in Mombasa.
The one-day forum was attended by Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa accompanied by board chairman Granton Samboja. Mwadime said sharing water with wildlife has caused panic among his constituents.
He urged the CWSB to revive stalled borehole projects funded by the World Bank to end water shortage. The legislator said residents trek for three kilometres to fetch water.
“Let us address the perennial water shortage before focusing on other development issues in the 47 counties,” he said. Mwadime said people have died due to the shortage.
He said Mwatate is the worst affected constituency at the Coast.
“Let politicians from the Coast rally behind the CWSB management to deliver water to the electorate,” Mwadime said.
Voi MP Jones Mwagogo said the completion of the second Mzima water pipeline will end the water problem in the region.