Category: water projects

H.E the Governor made it to the top of Mount Orok (Oldonyo Orok ) to supervise the ongoing mega water project that will serve Namanga and Maili Tisa towns and their environs.

A 450,000 litres tank has been constructed at the source while a 225,000 litres storage tank has been put up in Namanga town.Approximately 50,000 residents are set to benefit.

Water access to over 60,000 residents of Oloitokitok and the neighbouring areas of Ilasit, Nkama and the KRA border post is nearing full implementation.

The Rehabilitation and Augmentation of the Oloitokitok Water Supply and Sanitation Project will enhance the county government mission of ensuring that the Nolturesh Water benefits the people of Kajiado County.

Solar power shall be used to pump the water from four pumps at the source making it affordable.

A total of 4,720 solar panels and associated electromagnetic equipment will produce a total of 1.5 MW of power.

Kajiado Governor H.E. Joseph Ole Lenku sent a team of five chief Officers led by CO water and Irrigation Morris Kaaka and John Njoroge of the Governor Delivery unit and special programs, to inspect the flow of Noolturesh water following an outcry by residents of Olorika and its surroundings that the Noolturesh water was not reaching their homes.

Morris and Njoroge were joined by Jacob Sampeke( Medical Services), Douglas Konana( lands) Lekina Tutui( roads and public works)among other officials.

The team started by visiting the main source ( Noolturesh source )all the way to elangata Enkima to establish why the way water wasn’t reaching Olorika.

The team found out that activities of over irrigation upstream are diverting the water from the source to irrigated farms especially along Shurie area and Elengata Enkima. The water has totally been diverted denying the people downstream their share. The water to Sultan Hamud will also be rationed to ensure residents at the lower belt also get enough water for home use and their farms.

A decision was reached on site to adopt water rationing through usa generators to pump water other than illegal diversions.

A technical team led by water and irrigation officials,WARMA and the national administration will be closing all illegal diversions to afford all the people along the pipeline their fair share of the water.

The governor is committed to ensure that all residents get this elusive but precious commodity fairly and constantly.

The team later visited water projects in Rombo and the site of the boundary dispute between the Rombo group ranch and Taita Taveta where the lands CO Douglas konana and County surveyor Joshua Lemaikai under the instructions of the Governor promised to come back and demarcate the boundary to solve the existing dispute over grazing lands.

H.E the Governor while visiting the maga kiserian dam okayed the desiltation and expansion of the mega dam to enable it double its holding capacity from 1.2 Million cubic litres to about 2.5 million cubic litres.This will therefore help Oloolaiser Water company have enough water for both Kajiado North and Kajiado West Sub Counties.

H.E the Governor also directed the company to review and restructure its internal systems and stop forthwith the regular disconnection of electricity over unpaid bills.

“Reliable supply of water by Oloolaiser is not negotiable.Our people need clean and fresh water without further delay”he added.

Oloolaiser Water and Sewerage Company Limited (OWSC) has four main water sources; Kiserian dam, Magathi River, 18 boreholes and 2 springs (University and Oltiyani). The company produces a total of about 7,500 M3/day and has a customer base of 11,262 connections comprising 7,460 active and 3,622 inactive connections. The company also operates 35 water kiosks.

The Company’s service area is approximately 115 km2 and covers six wards namely Ongata Rongai, Olkeri, Keekonyoike, Oloolua, Nkaimurunya and Ngong.Within the company’s area of jurisdiction there are four major towns namely Ongata Rongai, Kiserian, Kahara-Matasia and Ngong. In addition, there are 12 low-income areas (LIAs) that are served by the company.

Kajiado County will benefit from at least Sh 100 million to address perennial water shortages in selected areas.The money is part of a Sh 2 Billion grant by the European Union to several counties and will be channeled through the Water Sector Trust Fund.

SPEECH BY H.E JOSEPH OLE LENKU, GOVERNOR, COUNTY GOVERNMENT OF KAJIADO, DURING THE 2018 MAJI AWARDS AT GALAXY RESORT , KITENGELA, ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9,2018.
Our partners,
Our sponsors,
Our awardees today,
Our County Government Officers present,
Our People of Kajiado County,
Good afternoon.
Habari ya mchana.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we gather here to discuss a subject that is dear to us. A subject that is the fulcrum around which humanity survives. A subject that evokes emotions because lack of it makes life very miserable. A lack of it stagnates our economic advancement for we cannot prosper without it within our reach.
Water ! Water !Water! Water is so central in our lives that my administration has made Universal Water Access one of its key flagship areas of focus. I have grown up in several parts of this County and I have a very clear picture of the dire water situation our people are in. I have experienced firsthand, the urgency of why we need to transform our water security sooner than later.
A working devolution will enable this county to shed off its reference as one of the “water-stressed” devolved units. Our water coverage currently stands at 35 per cent; yet water is the engine of the National Government’s Big Four Agenda ( which we fully support) of Affordable Health, Food Security, Manufacturing and Housing.
We have a vision. A vision to have households access water within walking distance, and surely, a walking distance cannot be five, ten or twenty kilometres. We are talking of accessing water within one kilometre.
If we achieve this, we shall have contributed greatly to the economy as we shall have saved 80 per cent of the time spent on fetching water. This saved time can thus be donated to other economy driving engagements. Work in Kajiado County, and indeed this country, cannot be “Fetching Water”. Eti kazi tunayofanya mchana kutwa ni kutafuta maji. Hapana ! We can’t develop that way.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, we are not celebrating our achievements. It is not that we do not have much to celebrate. It is only that we have not completed the journey. We are midway; and like a traveller on a long journey, it is important to pose and ask yourself the lessons you have learnt in the covered journey so far. These lessons are vital in making decisions that are critical to the remaining part of the journey.

A successful journey towards “Water For All” in Kajiado has a bearing on the lessons we can draw from our past mistakes and oversights and how we can correct them to enable us confront the ever changing challenges that are always compounded by the rapid growth of our County.
My people,
THIS DAY, we seek to give hope and outline our vision of where we want to go as a County as far as provision of clean water is concerned.
THIS DAY, we seek to recognize the few among us who have already embarked on the mission to utilize the little water that we have in the best way possible. Those who have already started the journey to transform the way we deal with water.
THIS DAY, we seek to discuss the governance of our water entities and community projects; For this has a bearing to how effectively and sustainably our projects serve our communities.
THIS DAY, we seek to carry everyone along in our pursuit to have clean water for everyone. We are together in this; and together we shall make it.
THIS DAY, we have come to engage you, to listen to you, to hear your ideas on how we can partner to move the Water story forward.

My People,
It is not entirely true that Kajiado County has no water. This County is endowed with water sources that can supply us with enough water and still have more for our neighbours. The challenge has been harnessing this water in a sustainable manner through reticulation and pipelines that serve our villages.
Our key source of ready water remains the Nol Turesh water which flows from the Southern side of this County. This water passes through our County, but for some classical example of historical injustice, our people have not yet fully benefitted from this resource.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am not going to watch as our people continue being disadvantaged in the sharing of the clean and natural Nolturesh water. This is a right for which I am ready to fight and with the people behind me, we shall surely have a fair share of Nolturesh.
I have heard there are certain sections of Kajiado communities and individuals who are claiming ownership of some water sources.
Let me categorically state that there is NO NATURAL WATER SOURCE THAT BELONGS TO A COMMUNITY, A CORPORATE ORGANIZATION OR AN INDIVIDUAL. All water sources belong to the County Government of Kajiado.
Those who are introducing jungle rules by claiming ownership of some water sources, and thus seek to illegally control its use, are dancing on a dangerous ground. Some of the water sources under my radar on this charge are…… (………). We cannot allow it to happen. I will not entertain that kind of impunity.
My People,
At the heart of our lack of reliable water supply over the years, is the mismanagement of the little water that there is. It is one of the major reasons we have gathered here because we cannot continue to witness impunity and mediocrity in the running of our water projects.
When I came into office, I found our water companies reeling from pending bills, even for basic operational costs such as electricity and staff salaries and allowances. My Administration offered a reprieve and bailed these companies to the tune of several millions; yet they were selling water.
A water company that cannot pay its electricity bills is not a sustainable entity. After a though evaluation of the companies, we made the conclusion that they do not have the capacity to carry our long term vision of cheap, affordable and reliable water supply for both domestic and agricultural use.

We also found these companies to be suffering from Human Resource gaps. The workforce was demotivated and some were working in collusion with water consumers to deny the companies their revenue. You can imagine that one of our companies does not get paid for 75 per cent of their water!
We formed the Kajiado Water and Sewerage Company as a single entity to help us manage our water. Its chairman, Titus Naikuni, is here with us. Bringing water management under one entity is one way in which we can invest our resources for more effective and reliable results.
Plans are at a very advanced stage to fulfill all the legal requirements needed to kick off the operationalization of the company. I wish to formally request all the partners with us here today to support the new water company when its work finally starts. It will be our key point of reference on Universal Water Coverage in the county.
My good people,
Today, I wish to say we are keen on maintaining our existing water systems. We do not want to misuse the little water that we have. Our particular interest is on how we manage our boreholes across the county. It has come to our attention that many are not giving maximum benefits because of high operational costs and regular break downs. We are devising a mechanism of maintenance and capacity building for all those who are in charge of them.
I DIRECT THE CEC IN CHARGE OF WATER AND IRRIGATION to immediately set up a framework on how to offer expert training to all our borehole operators. This framework should entail procurement of companies that will maintain our boreholes in all the Sub Counties to shorten the periods they stay un-operational after they suffer a technical breakdown.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I now turn to the people who have hosted us today. The people of Kitengela and its environs. Your cries of unreliable water supply have been heard loud and clear. I am aware you have suffered in the hands of “merchants of misery”. These are people who have taken advantage of the situation and are enriching themselves by selling water at exorbitant prices.
I wish to report that my administration has agonized over your situation. On your behalf, your Governor has fruitfully engaged the Ministry of Water as well as the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company for a bulk supply of fresh water amounting to 5,000 M3. This water will be piped directly from Nairobi and has a capacity to cater for 10,000 people in Kitengela town alone. Our sister town of Ongata Rongai is also part of these negotiations. I only seek your patience as we conclude this high level engagement with the relevant authorities.

Ladies and gentlemen,
When we are talking of water, we want to take this discussion to another level-The level of fresh and clean water-Maji si maji tu. We want our people to consume healthy water. We have been endangering our future, and that of our children.
In this vein, I am warning the existing water cartels who have been selling to us “bad water, any water”. I am declaring the sale of salty water in the County ILLEGAL starting February 10 next year. That is exactly 90 days from now.
Within this period, I DIRECTING am the Departments of Water and Public Health to commence a process that will ensure all private water vendors desalinate their water. No more licenses should be issued to water vendors before an inspection is done to ensure the water they are selling is clean and fresh. This will protect our people from health hazards that accrue from consumption of salty water over a long period of time.
Hand in hand with this, I further DIRECT the Department of Water to start the process of desalinating water from boreholes constructed by the County Government.
The concerned Departments should engage the relevant players in the water sector and put in place a legislation mechanism to ensure total compliance with this directive by the time we hold the next Maji Awards in 2019. This engagement should further discuss capping of prices to ensure our people are not exploited the way it is happening now.
Again, I call upon all the partners and donor agencies present here to support the full implementation of these directives. They are good for our people. They are for posterity.
I wish to stop here. Thank You very much and may God Bless you all. Asanteni sana!

H.E Joseph Ole Lenku,
Governor, Kajiado County.

Water projects that give reliable services to communities and have adopted plausible strategies to improve sustainability will be awarded by the County Government.

A total of 27 water projects in both rural and urban areas will be recognized on Friday, November 9, at Galaxy Resort in Kitengela.The function will be officiated by Governor Joseph Ole Lenku.A number of stakeholders in the water sector such as the World Vision, Oxfam and Davis & Shirtliff are among those who will be in attendance.The Awards which were arrived at after a thorough audit of observance of sustainable and strategic corporate governance in the water projects have been classified into fifteen categories.

The topmost award will go to the Best Managed Water Projects in both rural and urban areas.There will also be the prize for the Most Innovative Water Project as well as the Most Improved Water Services Provider.

Other awards include Most Promising Water Project, Best Water Project Operator in addition to the Water Project Leadership of the Year which will go to Water Project Chairmen who have demonstrated outstanding leadership that steered their water projects to reliability.

Kajiado Water and Irrigation CEC Member Florence Waiganjo said the Awards are part of the County Government’s strategy to promote sound management of water entities.“We have a Strategic Plan to achieve a 60 per cent Water Access coverage from the current 35 per cent. We can only get this by ensuring the little water we have is managed in the best way possible, “said Ms. Waiganjo.

The CECM added that the annual event is also meant to engage with water sector players on the possible areas of collaboration to push access up. “The budget allocated to water is not always enough to address all our water needs. To hasten the realization of water in majority of households, we need partners,” said Waiganjo

Tanathi Water Services Company has marginalized the Maasai Community to the core, Governor Joseph Ole Lenku said today.

Governor Lenku told a high profile meeting on water matters attended by Water CS Simon Chelugui and his Devolution and ASALS counterpart CS Eugene Wamalwa at the Sarova Stanley Hotel in Nairobi.

“The level of injustice perpetuated by TANATHI Water Company and the management of Nolturesh Water Company has hurt Kajiado residents very much. We demand justice because even the Maasai Community has been chased away from the management of this water body,” said Governor Lenku.

In a heated debate that was beamed LIVE on mainstream TV stations, Governor Lenku braved the presence neighboring governors of Makueni and Machakos counties to lie bare how certain political forces segregated the Maasai Community yet Kajiado is the major source of water for the region.

“They even took Tanathi’s headquarters to Kitui. TANATHI was supposed to be headquartered at Sultan Hamud. Kajiado residents were to be appointed to technical positions but they have now been edged out. It can’t work like that,” Governor Lenku reiterated.

Governor Lenku re-affirmed his commitment to ensure Kajiado residents have a fair share of nolturesh as its main source, and said the officials who have corruptly misused in excess of ksh 200 Million should be arrested and prosecuted.

“People who have run down Nolturesh are walking free.  The problem with our water issues is Corruption, mismanagement, and marginalization. This must stop”, said Lenku.

The Governor said he is determined to help Kajiado residents’ access water and asked TANATHI to consult the County Government when doing projects to avoid taking up useless projects. “Sometimes they pronounce some projects which look good on paper but they are not useful to the reality on the ground. Let them work with us so that the projects have value to the people,” said the Governor.

The high octane discussion on water elicited reaction from the stakeholders with Makueni Governor Kivutha Kibwana admitting Kajiado had gotten a raw deal.”We need to get a win-win situation because Kajiado has the water but most infrastructures are in Makueni. I agree Kajiado has not been treated fairly,” said Governor Kibwana.

H.E the Governor had the pleasure of commissioning the Oloonkai water project that will be used by households within Sabato, Kenyawa Pooka ward. Beneficiaries of the water project include schools and churches around the area.

The women of the community in appreciating the project noted that their long journey using donkeys and their backs to carry water from long distances is now outdated.

The County Government will continue undertaking projects that have impact to the common mwananchi.

H.E the Governor in the company of Isinya residents commissioning a borehole at Isinya town.

H.E the Governor, Joseph Ole Lenku  commissioned one of three boreholes that recently sunk in Isinya.
The borehole was funded by ENSDA while the other two; one by the county government and another by Belgian Government.
While commissioning the borehole and a fully functional public toilet with an office inside, the Governor was informed that Isinya never had water for the last 6 years. The reason being two boreholes that were serving the town dried up years ago.

The two ready boreholes will pump out 470 cubic meters of water a day, that’s water that can directly sustain 6,000 people plus water kiosks.
It should be noted that an adult population of Isinya is roughly 7000.

Since the swearing in of Governor Lenku, it’s less than 100 days and already residents are enjoying Noolturesh water and in Isinya residents have nick named it “Lenku’s pipeline”.

So far Noolturesh supplies 1,000 cubic metres of water per day to parts of the larger Isinya and they say the demand is approximately 2000 cubic metres and they plan to meet the demand soon. Noolturesh Water Company is a bulk supplier and H. E Lenku has requested them to supply free water to Isinya until the drought is over.

The governor was accompanied by the acting CECM water Florence Waiganjo.