- The Senate Committee Chairman Godfrey Osotsi asked governors to pursue and implement the Water Act., 2016.
- The Act puts the management of water companies under the County governments.
Image: FILE
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has affirmed her commitment to revamping Kirinyaga Water and Sanitation Company Limited (Kiriwasco).
The move will help to improve service delivery to Kirinyaga residents.
Waiguru said she had initiated reforms at the company to streamline management and enhance water supply and sanitation services to the residents.
"The County government has continued to support Kiriwasco in efforts to realise our vision for clean and reliable water to all homesteads in the County," Waiguru said.
She said reforms will ensure the company provides cost-effective and affordable quality water and sanitation services.
Waiguru said according to the law governors have minimal engagement with water companies in terms of day-to-day management.
“There is very minimal engagement with the governors, the only thing that we may do is maybe a couple of times a year, you get a brief but in terms of running the institution because of the law they are supposed to be run as autonomous institutions with the Managing Director and the board so that they can run professionally without interference from us,” she said.
Waiguru said she will ensure all necessary information required during the auditing period is availed in time.
"When the County government satisfactorily responds to audit queries and are no more questions, it shows the company is well run,” the governor said.
The Governor, who is also the Chairperson Council of Governors (COG) said that the transfer of water companies’ assets from the national government to counties was still on course.
"CoG is fast-tracking the assets transfer report and we hope it will be ready by the end of the financial year," she added.
Waiguru spoke when she appeared before Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds to give responses on Kiriwasco’s Auditor General audit report.
The Senate Committee Chairman Godfrey Osotsi asked governors to pursue and implement the Water Act., 2016.
The Act puts the management of water companies under the County governments.
Ososti said County governments should take full control of water entities because Governors are answerable to the Senate when audit issues arise.
Kiambu Senator Karungo Thang'wa said governors bear the responsibility of ensuring residents have an adequate water supply in their areas.
"The county governments must have keen interests in the daily operations of the water companies because, by the end of the day when there are water problem issues, residents demonstrate at the Governor's office, not at the companies," Thang'wa said.
Auditor General recommended the timely release of response documents to avoid queries that could be resolved at the time of the auditing process.