Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata and his Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja engaged in a public spat over Ndakaini Dam.
This was after Sakaja led a delegation from Nairobi Water and officials to inspect the dam.
Despite the dam being located in Murang’a, there was no representative from Murang’a County during the impromptu visit.
The Nairobi Governor made similar trips to the Ngethu Water Treatment Plant in Kiambu and Sasumwa Dam in Nyandarua.
He explained that his visit was to inspect Nairobi water sources and treatment plants.
Kang’ata felt slighted by Sakaja’s move to inspect Murang’a County resources terming the action as trespass.
In a public statement, he exclaimed, “Wanted! Dread (sic) or alive,” while attaching photos of Sakaja at Ndakaini Dam.
The dam produces 430,000 cubic meters/day of water which is about 84 per cent of the total supply of water to Nairobi residents.
The dam is managed by the Murang’a County Government in conjunction with the Athi Water Works Development Agency.
In March this year, Murang’a County threatened to shut its supply to Nairobi should the capital not pay for the water.
Murang’a Senator Joe Nyutu explained that Nairobi was taking almost all water from Ndakaini dam forcing locals to trek long distances in search of the commodity.
The dam draws its water from the Thika, Githika and Kayuyu rivers all from Murang’a and Kiambu Counties.
“We cannot continue giving water to Nairobi for free while Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company sells the commodity. The status quo cannot continue,” the Senator vowed then.
