Murang’a county residents led by area Governor Mwangi Wa Iria have staged fierce movement dubbed #ourWaterOurOil. This initiative is aimed at demanding rights and privileges fro their water Resource that they have been supplying to Kenya’s capital city and other counties for free for decades now.
Mwangi wa Iria's thinking is so backward.!!#NoToIncitement pic.twitter.com/xJB85FcTts
— Kale Queen (@petitekale) October 1, 2018
This same words by Mwangi Wa Iria have been echoed by section of leaders from Murang’a county. The leaders have joined their governor in pushing for what they term as the privilege of their people of Murang’a county and the entire Mt. Kenya region.
https://twitter.com/KTNNews/status/1048516878791053312
This comes after president Uhuru Kenyatta said that the two governors should leave water out of their politics. Speaking while in the clean up activity organized by governor Sonko of Nairobi, The President that water is a natural resource and it should at any point be politicized.
President Kenyatta tells Governor Mwangi wa Iria to stop political games as water is a natural resource that belongs to everyone pic.twitter.com/bx6506IUbf
— Abdikarim Hassan (@Abdikarimsonko) October 6, 2018
This comments come after Governor Mike Sonko and Mwangi wa Iria exchanged words over the week about the supply of the water from Ndakaini Dam which is located in Murang’a county. The dam have been supplying the residents of Nairobi water for quite along time now.
The two governors have been in agreement leading to hulling of words at each other regarding the Ndakaini Dam issue. The county government of Murang’a wants the county of Nairobi to be handing in a considerable amount of money annually for continued supply of the water to the residents of Nairobi.
The county government of Nairobi on the other hand claims it has the title deed of Ndakaini Dam and that they have been using the water for the longest time possible therefore they see no need for paying for it.
These reactions from both sides made the governors to engage in tough word battles. The governor of Nairobi was record on press saying he will demolish the structures built by Mwangi Wa Iria on road reserves in Nairobi.Mwangi wa Iria was quick to respond to this daring Governor Mike Sonko to go ahead and demolish them.
Governor Mwangi Wa Iria instead advised his counterpart to make good use of Nairobi River which right now is a running sewage instead of insulting the people of Murang’a.
The sentiments of the president concerning the same were meant to cool down the heat which is being generated from both sides but it seems like the whole battle has just taken a new twist.
https://twitter.com/HonourableMedia/status/1045924043856248832
Governor Mwangi wa Iria has started an initiative with the residents of Murang’a urging them to guard their water. In the statement Governor Mwangi wa Iria compared the water to oil. This move although it may seem as a manipulative move by governor Wa Iria but it will have a heavy impact to the people of Nairobi and other counties who depend on Ndakaini river for the water supply.
I am with mwangi wa iria on this #NoToIncitement pic.twitter.com/FqAChuxTzV
— village idiot 🇰🇪 (@kahuria_patrick) October 1, 2018
With the support from leaders from Murang’a county, the governor is likely to succeed in making all the counties that benefit from the water from Ndakaini Dam and Mt. Kenya region to pay. In the efforts to collect as much as possible funds to help in funding county projects, Murang’a may have found a perfect means to do so.
But will the governor ignore the order from president Uhuru Kenyatta or both counties will have a round meeting to solve this water saga is currently developing .