By Bernard Munyao
Residents of Maragua town and its surrounding areas have called for an end to what they describe as unnecessary politics in the water sector.
The concerned locals have observed that such disputes pitting two water service providers risk disrupting the steady supply of clean water they currently enjoy.
The residents said they are satisfied with services offered by Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco), which has been supplying the town with clean and reliable water for domestic use.
They argued that the ongoing debate over which Water Company should serve the area should not interfere with a system that is already working for the community.
The dispute emerged after the Water Services Regulatory Board (Wasreb) called for public participation to determine the boundaries of water service providers operating within Murang’a County.
The process has sparked debate, with some individuals arguing that Maragua falls within the southern part of the county and should therefore be served by Murang’a South Water and Sanitation Company (Muswasco).
Last week, residents from parts of Murang’a south held demonstrations accusing Muwasco of what they termed as interfering with water meant for irrigation, claims that management of the firm dismissed.
However, a section of residents who spoke to the press on Friday insisted that they are comfortable with the services currently provided by Muwasco and urged leaders to avoid politicizing the issue.
One of the residents and a community leader, Lameck Muiruri condemned those raising what he termed as water politics, noting that the town’s pressing need is not a change of service provider but the establishment of a proper sewer system.
According to Muiruri, many households in Maragua are already connected to clean water supplied by Muwasco and attention should now shift to improving sanitation infrastructure.
“What we need as residents is a sewer system. We already have access to clean water,” he said, adding “already the government has set aside Sh. 2 billion to put up a sewerage system at Maragua town and we don’t want politics to delay the project.”
He further criticized some political leaders whom he accused of attempting to disrupt ongoing water connections in the area being spearheaded by Muwasco.
Kamau Waithera also expressed concern that the public participation exercise on water service boundaries could end up interfering with the supply of water to residents.
He noted public participation was done some years back which resolved Maragua and the surrounding areas to be supplied water by Muwasco.
He maintained that Maragua town has been well served by the water company and warned that altering the current arrangement without proper consultation could negatively affect residents.
Waithera also criticized leaders pushing for Maragua to be served by Muswasco arguing that the company already has a large coverage area where water supply challenges still persist.
“Muswasco has many areas that are poorly served with water. Instead of bringing politics here, leaders should focus on addressing those challenges,” he remarked.
Andrew Thuo echoed similar sentiments explaining that Muwasco has mainly focused on the supply of water for domestic use which has greatly benefited residents in the area.
He noted that concerns raised by some residents about water tariffs should be handled through proper engagement with relevant stakeholders rather than politicizing the matter.
“Any issues to do with water tariffs should be discussed with the right authorities so that solutions can be found,” Thuo said.
Faustia Wangui, another resident, said the community is currently enjoying consistent water supply and hopes the situation will not be disrupted by ongoing debates.
She recalled the difficult times when residents depended on unclean water sources before the current supply system was established.
“We used to fetch water from unsafe sources, but now we can access clean water easily. That is why we are asking leaders to stop bringing unnecessary politics into this sector,” she said.
The residents now want stakeholders and leaders to prioritize service delivery and infrastructure development instead of engaging in disputes over administrative boundaries.
John Kamau