Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Re: Mombasa Water War is a battle of Political Supremacy

While I agree with many of the points made below, I really do not believe in making attacks on people without proof.

I'm agreed 100% that there should be just one water body that the residents have to deal with and that the CWSB should be dumped. They don't seem to be doing their job of laying the infrastructure of providing the residents with water and they and their Board should also be thoroughly investigated and the whole outfit overhauled and any holder of a political office should be removed immediately except, of course, the Minister.

We would also appreciate it if our questionable Council was removed from having anything to do with water or sewage. As it is, they can hardly keep up with garbage collection!

Razia.

ConsumerFirst Network wrote at 4:21 PM:

Fellow Consumers,

The directive by the Minister for Water and Irrigation, Hon Charity Ngilu, to the four Members of Parliament in Mombasa to agree on who should sit on the Board of Mombasa Water Company is a futile move. The Minister should know that the company is a cash cow to these MPs thus the wrangles and any agreement is not forseeable.

Complaints by a section of councillors that the Board was only constituted by people from one constituency is just but one side of the coin. The management of the Water Company revolves around a small clique of powerful business people in town. This is the same clique that funds the MPs and decides who should sit on the Company Board.

It is should also be noted that the current Managing Director a Mr. Chitavi who was brought to salvage the situation when the company board was last dissolved, is already sucked into this murky political war pitting a prominent Cabinet Minister and a first time Member of Parliament who enjoys support of some crooked business personalities in town.

Eng. Chitavi himself is under investigation for mismanagement of the water company's revenues by two distinct criminal investigation agencies and yet he is still in office as if nothing is going on.

Hon. Ngilu should continue to apply her residual ministerial powers to provide water services to consumers as provided for in the New Water Act 2002 section 67 and completely handover the management of water provision to the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation. Failure to do this will mean water services in town will be in the hands of politicians who already have begun looting from public coffers to fund their next general election (2012).

Water is a life issue that should not be exposed to crooked leadership like the one in the region. Let it be managed as per the guidelines provided for in the new Water Act 2002. The Minister should not also allow the MD, Eng Chitavi who is widely mentioned in corrupt dealings to continue serving while investigation on his dealings are going on.

Water is an entittlement and not a charity good. Consumers need it in quality and quantity. And noone should play God in providing it.

Regards,
Arthur Achola
ConsumerFirst Network
Mombasa, Kenya.

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