Garissa County, UNICEF commission project to address water shortage

Residents of Garissa County are set to benefit from a multi-million water project commissioned on Friday by Governor Ali Korane.

The Kasha Water Supply, which was co-funded by UNICEF, was implemented by the Garissa County administration and is expected to improve access of water for the residents of Kasha and its environs.

The project is also set to end the persistent water shortage in the town and its environs.

Speaking during the commissioning of the project, Governor Korane highlighted other upcoming water flagship projects in the Sub-County aimed at addressing the water issue in the area.

The Governor lauded efforts by the water management team under the stewardship of the CEC for Water, Mr. Issa Oyow, for the improvement of water coverage in Garissa township from a paltry 25% to 85%.

Garissa County is reported to have drilled 20 new boreholes across settlements in the 6 sub-counties in the last financial year.

This comes just days after a report by the Controller of Budget indicated that Governor Ali Korane’s administration had allocated zero shillings for development in the 2018/19 financial year.

Governor Korane, however, described the report as misleading and erroneous, noting that it only focused on the first quarter (three months) of the current financial year.

Through County Chief Officer of Finance Ibrahim Malow, the Governor described the first quarter of the financial year as a “dry spell” period for the county, noting that there was a delay in disbursement of funds.

Mr. Malow pointed out that the county had done a lot to end water crisis in the county by digging over 30 boreholes, setting up a modern health facilities at the Garissa Referral Hospital which is almost complete, and a modern structure to house the county headquarters.

Governor Korane’s sentiments echoed those made the new Council of Governor’s chairman Wycliffe Oparanya who also dismissed the Controller of Budget’s report saying that it is impossible for any county to have zero allocation for development.

“Such a scenario is not inconceivable and is impossible to countenance. A situation of zero allocation to development is not anticipated because the Public Finance Management Act stipulates that 30 percent of all revenues allocated to a county be set aside for development,” said Mr Oparanya.

Other counties that had been reported as having allocated zero shillings on development include Machakos, Meru, Marsabit, Nyandarua and Mombasa.