Residents served by Murang'a South Water and Sanitation Company (MUSWASCO) may soon benefit from lower water tariffs following a push by the County Government to have the rates reduced.
The residents especially from parts of Kigumo sub county and where the company sources water from, have unfortunately occasionally resulted in the destruction of water infrastructure belonging to MUSWASCO to vent their anger on increased tariffs, resulting in major inconveniences to users. In the recent past, the residents especially from Kinyona ward have been engaged in running battles with workers of the company as they demand for lower water rates which has led to county government intervention. After the intervention by Governor Irungu Kang'ata, the county government confirmed that it had written to the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) requesting for a reduction of the tariffs from the current Sh107 to Sh88 per cubic meter.
Murang'a Executive Committee Member for Water Mary Magochi emphasized that reducing the cost of water would ease tensions between MUSWASCO and the local community. "Kinyona residents should be patient as the administration has already written to the WASREB requesting for reduction of the tariffs following the cry of the residents," she noted.
Additionally, the county government proposed taking over MUSWASCO's administration from the national government, arguing that local management would enhance efficiency and enable quicker responses to future similar issues, preventing further damage to infrastructure. "For some time, a dispute has persisted between MUSWASCO and residents of Kinyona and Karinga villages, leading to the destruction of key infrastructure and affecting water supply in surrounding areas. The county government has written to the Principal Secretary for Water requesting for urgent transfer of MUSWASCO shares to the county government to solve the challenge," stated Ms Magochi.
