The Council of Governors (CoG) and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation have agreed to develop a benefit-sharing mechanism aimed at ensuring that the people of Murang’a profit from water sourced from the county and consumed in Nairobi.
In a meeting led by the CoG chairperson of the water committee, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi, and other committee members and attended by Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa and his Water counterpart Simon Chelugui, the team agreed that a framework will be developed to ensure counties where dams are located benefit from the resources.
“The Ministry of Water and Sanitation will develop a benefit-sharing mechanism to ensure residents of Murang’a County benefit from water resources in their own backyard. I’m happy that we were able to resolve these outstanding water disputes,” Mr Murungi said.
Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui said the country owes Murang’a County an apology for underestimating its demand for water when residents from other counties enjoyed the same.
“I express my sympathy to Murang’a people and the country owes it an apology. When a man cries for water he should not be mistaken with a mad man and there is no way they [can] be sitting on such a critical asset, Ndakaini Dam, and they are starving for water,” he said.