Keep politics out of water projects, CS Wamalwa warns leaders

Water Cabinet Secretary Eugine Wamalwa has called on leaders to stop politicising development projects especially those that were initiated under Vision 2030.

CS Wamalwa said that many of those projects have not yet been completed and if politicised, derailed and obstructed, the country will not achieve its Vision 2030.

Mr Wamalwa, who was speaking in reference to the ongoing construction of the Ksh.6.8 billion Northern Water Collector Tunnel in Muranga County, assured that the national government is committed to ensure that all Kenyans get access to clean water.

“Our role under the new constitution is to ensure access to water for all Kenyans wherever they may live. Under Article 43 it is now a human right for every Kenyan to access water in the republic and that is why as national government we are here to ensure that right is enjoyed by the people of Kogello, Siaya County and the entire country,” he said.

The CS was speaking at Kogelo Primary School in Alego/Usonga sub-county where he commissioned part of the Ksh.2.1 billion Siaya-Bondo water project, and revealed that the project is complete and would officially commissioned by the president and his deputy soon.

“We are happy that this project is now complete. Today we’ve only commissioned a part of it to ensure water finally gets here but in a few weeks we will be coming with the president and the deputy president to officially commission the Siaya-Bondo water project,” he said.

Mr Wamalwa also assured of the national government’s commitment to work closely with the county government of Siaya and other development partners to ensure residents get access to adequate clean water.

He stated that in the second phase of the multi-billion Siaya-Bondo water project, they intend to extend the supply of the commodity to other parts of the county including Ugunja, Ukwala and Sega.

The CS was flanked by US President Barrack Obama’s Grandmother Sarah Obama and Siaya Deputy Governor Wilson Ouma Onyango, who observed the need to improve the management of water in Siaya County to solve the problem of inconsistency of water supply in the region.