City Hall disbands water company board as shortage persists

By Morton Saulo and Mutinda Mwanzia

Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company board has been disbanded as a biting water shortage persists in the city.

Councillors dissolved the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company Board (Nawasco) during a special council meeting.

The council will also source for a private audit firm to look into Nawasco books of accounts.

During the stormy meeting in Nairobi yesterday, the councillors and chief officers accused the board of failing to oversee the operations of the company resulting to water shortage and loss of millions of shillings.

Ratify decision

City Hall has also ordered the water company to call for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) within 21 days to ratify the council’s decision.

Nawasco is fully owned by City Hall, but any decisions have to be ratified during an AGM. In the AGM, the council will attend as shareholders to ratify their decision.

Mayor Godfrey Majiwa said the agreement between the council and the water company over the management of water and sewerage services ended in April.

"We had an agreement with the water company that was signed in 2004, but it ended in April this year. There is need for fresh negotiation over management of water in Nairobi," Majiwa said.

The councillors further said the council would advertise an expression of interest for individuals or organisations willing to sit on the board on interim basis.

And the Ministry of Water and Irrigation has said due to the prevailing drought water rationing would be effected in the city and other parts of the country.

The Director of Water Resources John Nyaoro said the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company and other water service providers had been ordered to ration their water provisions with immediate effect.

Nyaoro added the ministry would engage private borehole owners in effective and sustainable utilisation of water.