• Senate’s Agriculture committee has summoned the CS to appear on Thursday next week to shed light on the implementation of the new Water Resource Regulations without public participation.
• Petitioners say the tariffs will increase the cost of production.
Image: EZEKIEL AMING'A
Water CS Alice Wahome faces Parliament over the move by her ministry to implement "exploitative" water tariffs.
Senate’s Agriculture committee has summoned the CS to appear on Thursday next week to shed light on the implementation of the new Water Resource Regulations without public participation.
“This is something that we cannot bury our heads in the sand about. If you ask farmers anywhere, they will tell you there was no public participation,” committee chairman James Murango (Kirinyaga senator) said.
Murango spoke when his panel met with several players in the agriculture sector who have petitioned the Senate to stop the implementation of what they term "exploitative" tariffs.
Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET) has filed a petition seeking to have the Water Resources Authority stopped from implementing the new tariffs.
“It seems that the Ministry of Water and WRA have reneged on the amendments agreed by stakeholders including the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation and communicated to the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources,” ASNET chairman Bimal Kantaria said.
They said the tariffs will increase the cost of production.
The regulations seek to set water use fees for irrigation, domestic water, public water supplies and livestock use.
“We petition the Senate to direct an immediate withdrawal of the contested regulations,” the petition signed by Kantaria reads.
The lobby wants the Senate to direct immediate alignment of the Water Regulations 2021 with the national policies on access to water.
They also want the regulations aligned to policies on the adoption of irrigated agriculture for food security and the ethos of meaningful public participation of those most affected by such regulations.
Kantaria told the committee that water use rates as set in the regulations are an increase of 1,000 per cent for domestic and public water supply and for livestock.
It is also a 320 per cent increment on water for irrigation.
“These provisions are offensive as they are not in touch with the realities of competitiveness in the agriculture sector and consequently the economy,” Kantaria said.
ASNET brings together the Kenya Flower Council, Fresh Produce Association of Kenya, Kenya National Farmers Federation, Lake Naivasha Growers Group and Vegpro Group,
Others are Kenya Camel Association and Livestock Farmers representatives, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Agriculture Employers Association and Consortium for Aquaculture Association of Kenya.
Kantaria said WRA has started issuing invoices for water use fees to water users with rates as originally gazetted in the Water Resources Regulations 2021.
He said many water users, especially big firms in the horticultural industry, received mind-boggling water bills running into millions of shillings.
“Mr chairman, we have received huge bills and this will affect our operation. It is urgent and we need to get a solution,” Kantara said.
Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo said it was clear that the ministry and WRA did not carry out public participation prior to the development of the regulations.