Governors wants national budget to prioritise water supply and security

Meru Governor Peter Munya opens a water gate on March 30,2017,after he visited Meru Water And Sewerage Services (MEWAS) offices to open a treatment plant. [Photo: Peter Muthomi].

The government needs to rethink about how it handles insecurity in violence-prone counties,  Meru governor Peter Munya has said.

Besides increasing funding to equip security agencies, officers may need to be retrained, particularly if they have been deployed to the volatile grazing zones in Baringo, Laikipia, Meru/Isiolo border and Samburu, Mr Munya noted.

Speaking during the commissioning the Sh123 million Meru Water and Sewerage treatment plant, the governor said insecurity was payalysing economic activity in some counties.

“In the past we used to think it was a problem of numbers, but it is now apparent that even after heavy recruitment in the last few years, security has remained a challenge in troubled areas. It is therefore probably about equipment, training or strategy,” said Munya.

He added: “On the Meru/Isiolo border, the security problem has not improved  and people have moved out of their homes to camp near police stations in places like Ndumuru in Igembe North,” said Munya.

Domestic use

Turning to the issue of water scarcity, the governor said more resources should be allocated so that residents have piped water for domestic use and irrigation.

In Meru County,  the national government will soon embark on the construction of  three  dams at Kianjuri in Buuri, Thangatha in Tigania East and Ura dam in Igembe Central, he noted.