Water taps in section of Garissa town have long dried up as political infighting in GAWASCO escalates

By: Abdinoor Bishar

GARISSA—Since 2013, Garissa town faced major water challenges within the town area and its outskirts. Residents are appealing to the county and national government to intervene in the water problem.

Residents in section of the town are now forced to draw water form the river. Photo/ COURTESY

Farah Adan, a father of six said he is now forced to consume untreated water which could cause illness.

“The water problem is a big issue and both the county and national government seem unperturbed by our suffering.

“We are forced to consume untreated water from the river which poses health risks such as typhoid, diarrhea and other diseases,” he noted.

Schools and local madrasas within the town are also facing the same challenge as students are mostly asked to fetch water from nearby mosques.

Hassan Abdi, a Madrasa teacher challenged both levels of government to intervene, saying the situation was becoming dire.

“This cannot continue; stakeholders at both levels of the government should act,” he said.

Sahara Haji, 46, says she was forced to walk to distant neighbourhood in Garissa to top up her water tank for domestic consumption. She added that the crisis was better managed before the county government took charge of the water docket.

“Before 2013, the water problem was not as rampant and constant as it is now.

“There was crisis, but the water company would find a way of getting us out of the mess,” the mother of six noted as she carried two-ten litter jerricans on both hands, her three-year old daughter in tow.

Mohamed Saman Mohamed, a duksi (Quran) teacher said he relies on water supplied by the Garissa Water and Sewerages Company (GAWASCO) which, he noted, was becoming “too unreliable to rely on”.

He was furious that despite Garissa having a river that passes through it, the residents have to worry about water for domestic use.

“Can someone explain to me how we (Garissa) can live with dry taps in our homes when we have a river that flows throughout the year,” he asked.

Tana River is the longest river in Kenya and it is 1000 kilometers long. It passes through the towns of Garissa, Hola and Garsen before entering the Indian Ocean at Ungwana Bay–Kipini area.

Areas hard hit by the water crisis are Bula Sambul, Sagaray, Cadan, Masalani and Tawakal.

Gawasco acting managing director Abdul Haji did not pick our call nor responded to our texts when we asked about the water crisis in the town. He said he would meet us the next day, but did not step at the office the following day.

However, junior staffs we spoke to say the inefficiency of the company is chiefly contributed by political infighting and “conflicting orders from the above.”

“When a crisis touching on vital resource like water is politicized, then the people usually suffer,” a GAWASCO officer told Kulan Post in confidence.

The officer was referring to the county governor Nadhif Jamaa and Garissa Township MP and Majority Leader in the National Assembly Aden Duale who publicly clashed on how to tackle the crisis and the future of GAWASCO.

In late September, Duale accused the governor of not doing enough to address the water crisis.

In rejoinder, the governor challenged the MP to settle sh 22.6 million water bill the national government owes to the local water agency.

Nathif said GAWASCO is bedeviled by two challenges: rapid expansion of the town and the sh 22.6 million owed by the National government institution in Garissa.

“Let him not count on me when the county runs into deep trouble,” Duale responded.

“The National government wired sh9 billion to the Garissa County Government and 36 billion since 2013.

“How come Garissa town residents are still thirsty,” the Garissa Township MP asked.

He called on the county government to act tough on the institutions that fail to clear their bills, saying that even the residents suffer water cuts under similar conditions.

“If it’s true that the National government agencies are not paying their bills, why is GAWASCO not taking actions because when the local man fails to clear the water bill, he faces stiff penalties and water cuts,” Duale noted.

However, the governor stated that Duale was frustrating the operation of the GAWASCO saying he kept demanding for the sacking of the top officials at the water company.

“Since I came to power, Duale kept on insisting that I sack top officials at the GAWASCO,” Nathif said.

“Yussuf Mohamed Dictor has lost his job and now he want Shamsa and Jimmy to go,” the governor added.

“Don’t believe when they say GAWASCO is not a performer. It’s performing at its best and it will be here to stay,” Nathif insisted.