Large scale horticulture and flower firms in Nanyuki and Timau have been urged to reduce their farming following over extraction of water from rivers living them dry.
Laikipia East MP Mutahi Kimaru noted that thousands of residents downstream who depend on major rivers from Mt Kenya have no water for domestic use.
Kimaru said that the escalating drought might bring conflict if the farms continue with the abstraction as residents are already thinking of ganging up to follow the river up to where mega intakes are.
He said that it is the high time the Water Resources management Authority took charge and oversaw that the rivers are flowing to solve the situation. The Mp said that it is the high time that the farms shelved their business interests for the sake of peoples livelihood.
The legislator urged county commissioners from Meru and Laikipia to make sure that to make sure that the natural resource is well distributed across the board. The call came as senate security committee met with peace committees from Laikipia who have complained of water scarcity in the region.
The leaders noted that most large scale farmers who are doing horticulture have taken their businesses so seriously at the stake of other water users. Nominated Senator Godliver Omondi who was the sessions chair noted that they will advice the government on the need to look for alternatives for the water problems in the region.
She noted that options of doing boreholes and mega dam could assist during such times when there is drought.