Murang’a County MCA’s meeting, pushing for a 25 percent levy on water from the county that houses Ndakaini dam, was on 25th September tear-gassed by police who arrested one the County’s Chief Whip.
The ndakaini dam supplies Nairobi county with more than 84 percent of water and yet only 30 percent of the capital city residents have access to tap water. The move by the Murang’a MCA’s would be detrimental to the lives of Nairobi dwellers as a majority
Murang’a County Governor Mwangi Wa Iria first made the proposal that could have Nairobian’s dig deeper into the pockets as it is likely to cause an increase in water prices.
Police officers followed the MCAs with their security alarms blaring as they teargassed the MCA’s vehicles for about 20 kilometers.
“The fight for water rights will continue and no amount of intimidation will cow us we will go back to the shopping center and all the other areas of Muranga until we get our rights,” Ms. Muigai, one of the MCA’s said.
“We hear the police had been told that we were to go and block water from Ndakaini, we know the process and the procedure but then why did they fail to ask the Assembly leaders to hear our side of the story, Mr. Elungata is biased and he must be transferred,” Ms Muigai added calling upon DPP Haji to intervene on the matter.
Murang’a County Government seems to be taking the whole devolution process too far as the country is still on its baby steps. Time is probably ripe for the National Government to consider having natural resources and assets such as Ndakaini dam under it to avoid scenes like those witnessed in Murang’a County.