‘Fire CS Alice Wahome for failing you’ – Gatundu North MP Kururia tells Ruto

Gatundu North MP Elijah Njoroge Kururia now wants President William Ruto to fire his Water Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome over her failure to deliver her mandates.

Kururia specifically claimed that Wahome has completely failed to address the crisis facing the stalling of the Ksh13 billion Ndarugu II dam that the government proposes to put up in his constituency.

While addressing furious landowners who spent the better part of the day demonstrating against the project, Kururia upheld that for the Water sector to thrive in the country, Wahome should be shown the door.

“If you want the water sector to thrive in the country, consider firing Wahome. She recently ignored the locals when she visited Karimenu II dam,” said Kururia.

The MP regretted that the government, through some of its officers, had been ignoring and disrespecting Gatundu North constituents, a move he termed as intolerable.

“Wahome convened a meeting with other leaders in Kiambu but deliberately ignored me. They are holding meetings elsewhere and the disrespect they are showing us will be reciprocated in equal measure,” said Kururia.

The MP made the remarks at a time when the government is struggling to persuade unyielding residents of Watathi, Gatei, Mwimuto, Gathaiti and Kanjuku villages in the constituency who have declined to cede their parcels for construction of another dam in the area.

Today, March 14, the locals spent the better part of the day engaging police and other government officers after information went around that the project contractor was set to begin excavation works.

The locals barricaded roads leading to various villages in the area by burning tyres and chanting anti-project songs bringing social-economic activities in the area to a standstill.

In their hundreds, the locals took issue with the government taking them in circles and failing to address their concerns insisting that the water body which is President William Ruto’s pioneer dam project will not take off.

According to them, the government began the project without consulting and or conducting public participation forums, a move they termed as unconstitutional and a violation of their rights.

They claimed that since the Sh 24 billion Karimenu II dam, constructed about three kilometers from where Ndarugu II is proposed to be put up, locals have never benefited from the resource as water is only supplied to Ruiru and Nairobi, leaving them grappling with acute water scarcity.

MP Kururia and Kiambu governor Kimani Wamatangi who arrived to address their concerns revealed that top government officials have been receiving wrong reports about the project which was set to kick off this month.

“We have heard your concerns and we have agreed to form a committee that will write a report which I assure you will be taken to the president for action,” said Wamatangi.

The locals' fury was displayed a day after Kiambu leaders met CS Wahome and vowed to help her persuade the locals to relax their hard stance.

The meeting organized by Wahome, Athi Water Services CEO Michael Thuita and a section of Kiambu legislators resolved to employ persuasion to quell hostility against the project that the government hopes to ride on in increasing water supply to Kiambu and Nairobi Counties.

According to Thuita, the project will effectively harvest rainwater that has over the years been flowing to the sea with zero recharge thereby enabling both Kiambu and Nairobi Counties to remain water sufficient even during prolonged dry seasons.

“With the rural-urban population of Kiambu, Ruiru and Nairobi towns, water demand has drastically increased. We are thereby forced to promptly intervene and provide lasting solutions to our water harvesting methods,” said Thuita.

On their part, Kiambu leaders led by senator Karungo Wa Thang’wa and Juja MP George Koimburi urged the government to address all the underlying issues that have necessitated delays in the commencement of the project.

Thang’wa and Koimburi, while insisting that the project is key in boosting water supply to the two urban counties, at the same time urged locals to relax their hostility and allow room for negotiations to happen.