16 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.
