Construction of a water project at cost of
Sh300 million to distribute water to residents of Gatanga Sub County has
started.
The
project kicks off amid protests by Governor Mwangi wa Iria that locals should get water from Ndaka ini
dam and not from bore holes.
The
project kicked off after Athi Water Works Development Agency (AWWDA) handed
over the project to a contractor in an exercise witnessed by Gatanga MP Joseph
Ngugi and area residents.
The
multi-million shillings project was ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta in
November last year during the burial of Kikuyu musician Joseph Kamaru Wa
Wanjiru in Heho village, Kigumo.
The
order was made by Kenyatta following passionate appeal by Governor Mwangi wa
Iria that Murang’a was desperate in need of clean water, for being the source
of 80 percent of the commodity distributed in Nairobi.
Last
week, Athi CEO Eng Thuita Mwangi said lying of the pipes to connect 40,000
house holds will take an year, to serve areas near Ndaka ini dam.
Areas to benefit with water from the facility are Ndunyu Chege, Mbari ya
Ruga, Gitiri, Njai ini, Mukurwe, Thuita, Nyaga, Mukarara, Kihumbu ini and
Kiunyu.
“The localities will be connected with
water directly from the dam, as directed
by President Kenyatta,” said Thuita.
Ndaka
ini dam has a capacity to store
70million cubic metres of water and will be connected to Sh5.8 billion Northern
Water Collectors Tunnel (NWCT), that
will fetch 140,000 cubic metres of water daily from rivers, Gikigie, Irati and
Maragua for onward transmission to Nairobi and its environs.
The
Presidential ordered followed last year’s war over control of water between the
governor and Water and Irrigation Principal Secretary Joseph Wairagu after
Mithandu ini bore hole project kicked off.
The
governor castigated sinking of bore holes in Gatanga saying the residents
deserved a better treatment for being the custodians of water transported to
Nairobi.
Ends
