By ERNEST NDUNDA
Mombasa Water Services Company says stern action will be taken against employees who collude with vendors to deny consumers the commodity.
“Stern action would be taken on staff who have been illegally tapping water,” said the company’s Managing Director Moses Kinya.
He was reacting to a memorandum addressed to the company by more than 1,500 registered water vendors in Mombasa, who demonstrated along the streets to challenge the company over its new water policies.
Kinya said Water Services Regulatory Board had implemented some policies to control water supply.
“Water vendors have been behind illegal connections. We have stepped in to ensure all users access the commodity. Some vendors have also gone against the sale price, which stands at Sh2 per 20-litre jerrican. We sell a 20-litre jerrican to the vendors at 70 cent and I don’t see why they sell the same for Sh20,” said Kinya.
The vendors, in the memorandum, want the board to involve the Mombasa Kiosk Water Vendors Association in water management, according to the association chairman Gabriel Awuor.
Awuor said the water company should inspect all the vendor facilities to ensure cleanliness and that payment of bills is prompt, and not to control the prices.
bad policies
Kinya said some vendors use large tanks and hold water and manipulate the metres thus denying the company revenue.
“We are going to control the sale of water by vendors to ensure they are in line with the laid down prices,” said the MD.
“Kiosk is a pro-poor policy to serve the low income earners but some people have taken it as a profit making business. We should not condone cartels to deny customers water during supply hours and sell highly during rationing period,” said Kinya at a press conference at the company’s boardroom.
