Joho hits back over ministry projects

Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has accused the Government of passing on public debt burdens to counties.

Mr Joho said the National Government’s heavy borrowing to build water projects at the Coast will push public debts for affected counties to unmanageable levels.

Joho said the debts’ would overburden Mombasa, Kilifi and other affected counties that would be required to service them.

He said some of the projects financed by loans borrowed from various sources including the World Bank, China and Japan were supposed to be under county governments.

“Jubilee has usurped the roles of counties. In the Coast, a flurry of water expansion projects are being financed by loans which counties will later be required to pay,” Joho said.

He claimed that county governments in the region have not been involved in the projects.

The governor, who is a fierce critic of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government, demanded the disclosure of all costs of the projects and loans accrued.

“Jubilee believes counties have no capacity to tender and select a firm that can lay down water pipes. We hope these projects are not turned into cash cows for corrupt individuals,” he said.

The Ministry of Water, through the Coast Water Board Services (CWSB), is currently constructing Baricho Water Project at the cost of Sh15 billion and Mzima II at Sh35 billion.

According to the water ministry, Mzima project which will provide additional supply of 100,000 cubic metres of water per day to Taita Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa Counties is financed by the Government of China (EXIM Bank).

Coast Water Services Board says the projects will end perennial water shortage in Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale. Mombasa alone has a daily water deficit of about 100,000 cubic meters.

The national Government is also implementing the Sh2.3 billion Kakuyuni-Gongoni and Kilifi pipeline projects which are expected to be in completed in December next year.

The World Bank has already provided Sh20 billion for the implementation the Mwache project which will pump an additional 180,000 cubic meters to Mombasa.