Petition Committee Engages Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome On Various Issues
Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome when she appeared before the parliamentary committee
By PSCU
Worth Noting:
- They voiced their apprehension over the lack of accountability and responsibility among governing bodies regarding the impending disaster posed by the presence of carcinogenic elements that endanger the lives of Kenyans.
- “There is an urgent need for someone to be held accountable for the dire situation at hand. It is unacceptable to witness our fellow citizens succumbing to water-related diseases, including cancer, when we possess the power and means to prevent and mitigate these fatalities,” said Marwa.
- In response, CS Wahome highlighted the establishment of an Inter-Agency Technical Committee dedicated to safeguarding rivers and managing pollution.
The National Assembly’s Public Petitions Committee held a meeting with Alice Wahome, the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation. The CS had been summoned and appeared to respond to petitions which will address crucial issues including the pollution of River Athi, the desiltation of Matinga Dam, and the need for long-term solutions to address perennial water shortage at the ward level in Kenya.
The meeting was chaired by the vice chairperson Janet Siteinei who is the MP fo Turbo.
The committee members raised issues with the pollution of River Athi. They pointed out the disconcerting situation where the agencies responsible for preventing such pollution claim to be “toothless” and stripped of their powers, thus raising questions about their effectiveness and ability to fulfil their mandates.
They voiced their apprehension over the lack of accountability and responsibility among governing bodies regarding the impending disaster posed by the presence of carcinogenic elements that endanger the lives of Kenyans.
“There is an urgent need for someone to be held accountable for the dire situation at hand. It is unacceptable to witness our fellow citizens succumbing to water-related diseases, including cancer, when we possess the power and means to prevent and mitigate these fatalities,” said Marwa.
In response, CS Wahome highlighted the establishment of an Inter-Agency Technical Committee dedicated to safeguarding rivers and managing pollution.
She emphasized that significant interventions are currently being implemented in this regard, and a comprehensive report detailing these efforts will be submitted to the Committee by the end of the month.
Regarding the Desiltation of Matinga Dam, the CS informed the committee that the Tana Athi Water Works Development Agency has been instructed to conduct thorough engineering studies and create detailed technical designs for the rehabilitation of the dam embankment, spillway, and the fencing of the dam reservoir area.
Addressing the petition for a ward-based solution to the persistent water shortage in Kenya, she informed the members that the Water for Schools program has been implemented to extend its coverage across the majority of the country.
The primary objective of this program is to ensure access to water directly for the people, emphasizing the importance of bringing water resources closer to communities in need.
In addition, she elaborated on the forthcoming ‘Kenya Groundwater Mapping Program’ that will be executed in collaboration with county governments, state corporations, and development partners. The primary objective of this program, along with the Horn of Africa resilience project, is to rehabilitate more than 400 rural water schemes and, if required, drill new boreholes to address water scarcity challenges.
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