Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and his Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja on Wednesday September 13, found themselves embroiled in a public dispute over Ndakaini Dam.
The conflict arose after the Nairobi governor led a delegation from the Nairobi Water Department to conduct an impromptu inspection of the dam.
However, despite the dam being located in Murang’a County, there was no representative from the Murang’a County government present during the inspection exercise.
Governor Sakaja didn’t limit his inspections to just Ndakaini Dam. He also embarked on similar visits to the Ngethu Water Treatment Plant in Kiambu and the Sasumwa Dam in Nyandarua.
According to Sakaja, the primary purpose of these visits was to assess the condition and functionality of Nairobi’s water sources and treatment facilities.
“Spent the day inspecting our water sources and treatment plants at Ndakaini Dam in Muranga, Ngethu Water Treatment Plant in Kiambu and Sasumua Dam in Nyandarua together with our water company leadership Nairobi Water MD and technical team together with Water CEC and Chief Officer,” Sakaja posted on his X (formerly twitter) platform.
Governor Kang’ata, however, felt slighted by Sakaja’s actions, which he perceived as an infringement on Murang’a County’s jurisdiction.
In response, still on X, Kang’ata shared a screenshot of Sakaja’s tweet and said.
“Serious Trespass. Wanted, Dread or alive”.
Ndakaini dam is the main water source for Nairobi
Ndakaini Dam is the major supplier of water to Nairobi residents, accounting for approximately 84 % of the total water supply to the city.
The management of the dam however falls under the jurisdiction of the Murang’a County Government in collaboration with the Athi Water Works Development Agency.
This dispute between the two governors traces its origin to a previous disagreement earlier this year.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu complained about the strain on local resources, as Nairobi was utilizing a substantial portion of Ndakaini Dam’s water supply, forcing local residents to travel long distances in search of water.
Ndakaini Dam primarily sources its water from the Thika, Githika, and Kayuyu rivers, all of which flow through Murang’a and Kiambu Counties.
“We cannot continue providing water to Nairobi for free while the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company profits from selling this essential resource. The current situation cannot persist,” quipped Senator Nyutu.
