Trans Nzoia’s push to split NZOWASCO causes panic in Bungoma County

In Summary;

• Anonymous letter
• TC Assembly directive (letter)
• TCs Justification, Observations and Recommendations
• Bungoma County concerns
• #iKUWEiKUWE Corner; Facts about NZOWASCO
• Images from World Bank projects

De-clustering of NZOWASCO

The approval and therefore adoption of a report tabled by the Trans Nzoia County Assembly Committee on Water, Environment and Natural Resources on 15^th Oct 2020 recommending the De-clustering of Nzoia Water and Sewerage Company Ltd (NZOWASCO) following has provoked a chain reaction of events including the releasing a Cabinet memo on 23^rd September, 2020 to start the process as well as a counter reaction from Bungoma who feel the separation will spell doom for Wangamati’s regime.

On 9^th Nov 2020 I received a mail via courier from a faceless person named ESTHER NALIAKA who informed me of the happenings at NZOWASCO. Before I proceed to the main agenda here is the cover letter that accompanied the documents; Of concern here is the employment issue;

• Casuals who’ve worked for 10 years are yet to be confirmed when new politically correct employees are favoured
• The CECM is accused of corruption and nepotism

Extracts from the Trans Nzoia County Assembly Committee on Water, Environment and Natural Resources report…

Water service provision in the urban and surrounding areas is being provided by Nzoia Water Company Ltd, a trans County water service provider operating in Trans Nzoia and Bungoma Counties. Trans Nzoia owns 51% while Bungoma County owns 49% stake in the water company. The sources of the Company’s water are in the two counties;

1. Kabolet Water Treatment Plant Works in Cherengany whose capacity is more than 10,000m^3,
2. Nzoia River Water Treatment Works in Waitaluk whose capacity is more than 10,000m³
3. Matisi Water Treatment Plant with a capacity of 7,000m³
4. Chwele water Treatment plant whose capacity is 4,000m³
5. Kamtiong’ Water Treatment plant serving Kimilili Town with a capacity of 5,000m³

Read; https://ikuweikuwe.com/2020/11/18/water-shortage-to-worsen-in-bungoma/

JUSTIFICATICATION;

1. There is urgent need to have the provision of Water and Sanitation services go in line with the provision of the constitution, the Water Act 2016 and other regulatory provisions.
2. The current status has disadvantaged the county as the services have been affected due to the current mismanagement of the existing Nzoia Water Services Company Limited thus contravening section 78(1)(b) of the Water Act 2016 which states that the service provider shall be responsible for the development of the county assets for water service provision.
3. The Water Service provider has been put on Specia; Regulatory regime (SRR) for the last three years due to governance issues raised in previous audits hence impacting negatively on water service provision, which in turn has depressed public and consumer confidence.
4. Trans Nzoia County accounts for over 60% of the revenue generated by NZOWASCO yet the company has failed to aptly address the erratic supply of water in various estates. The people of of Trans Nzoia have therefore not been able to get value for money.
5. Currently, Trans Nzoia County has more than 24,000 registered water connections which means the regulators threshold for a new water service provider.

OBSERVATIONS:

1. Trans Nzoia County Water and Sewerage Company has already been registered
2. It has necessary legal and statutory documents; Articles and Memorandum of Association, Registration cert, tax Compliance Cert and CR12
3. A cabinet memo to start the process of de-clustering of NZOWASCO was approved on 23^rd Sep 2020
4. The Water depart is in the process of forming a taskforce to work joitly a taskforce in Bungoma, Lake Victoria North water works development agency (LVNWDA) water Services Refgulartory Board to determine assets and liabilities of NZOWASCO and how to share between the two counties.

RECOMMENDATIONS;

1. THAT trans Nzoia County Water and Sewerage Company should be operational by Dec 2020
2. THAT NZOWASCO should stop further recruitment of new staff
3. THAT the just advertised employment positions by NZOWASCO should be cancelled
4. THAT the Committee on Water, Environment and Natural Resources be facilitated for a benchmarking trip to Nyeri Water and Sewerage Company (NYEWASCO) has been voted the best performing water provider in the country for the last eight years
5. THAT the two Committees for Water and Environment from Trans Nzoia and Bungoma Counties should meet and seek concurrences for quicker separationof NZOWASCO

#iKUWEiKUWE Corner;

Facts about NZOWASCO

• 2004; NZOWASCO was launched at Bungoma members club. The guest of honor was the then Minister Water and Natural Resources, Hon. Martha Karua
• 2009-2013; a 2.9 Billion loan was awarded to NZOWASCO for the following projects;
  1. Kabolet; New Treatment Plant, New Water catchment, Inlet
  2. Nabuyole Treatment Plant – Expansion
  3. Matisi Treatment Plant – Expansion
  4. Bungoma Sewer line – Prisons to KCC
• Trans Nzoia water projects are all via gravity
• Bungoma water projects are via Pumping
• Bungoma collects 8 million as revenue from water, uses 3 million to pay electricity
• Despite having stable sources of water, Nzoia Water Services Company Limited has not managed to perform optimally and provide requisite water services to the residents of the two counties

Bungoma County is citing asset-sharing and loan repayment as their excuse for status quo but insiders say the Bungoma risks a lot from the separation;

• Political appointees to lose jobs
• Mass layoff of staff to reduce wagebill
• Bungoma will most likely default on loan repayment coz its books never balance due to;
  • Corruption
  • Supply disruptions
  • The county CEO is a serial defaulter on payments/debts right from Tourist Hotel (teachers) to Casuals to his own bank loans…
  • Delays in reconnections whenever politically correct contractors damages the water lines
  • Delays in repairing damaged lines – Wastage of water/revenue

Images taken on the roads being upgraded in Bungoma town under the World Bank project… Following these damages a section of Bungoma town has received no water. Seven letters have been written by NZOWASCO to the politically correct contractor in vain… Bungoma governor Wycliffe wangamati visited these roads but made zero mentions on the damages and therefore repairs… The Water CEC Mr. Makheti is dead silent despite being copied in NZOWASCO letters