Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria. Photo | JOSEPH KANYI | NMG
Summary
- Eng Daniel Ng'ang'a, the MD of Muwasco, found that a County Executive had occupied his office and changed the locks despite a court order stopping his ejection.
- Muwasco and four other water companies have accused Governor Mwangi wa Iria of a witch hunt.
- Water firms in the devolved unit have been embroiled in legal battles with the County after Mr Iria dissolved their boards.
Controversy over the administration of water companies in
Murang’a deepened Thursday after the managing director of one of the
County's water firms was denied access to his office.
Eng
Daniel Ng'ang'a, the MD of Murang'a Water and Sewerage Company
(Muwasco), found that the County Executive for Water - Mr Paul Macharia -
had occupied his office and changed the locks to doors despite a court
order stopping his ejection.
The official, who was
last month on the spot over a leaked conversation between him and
Governor Mwangi wa Iria, found that his designated vehicle had also been
clamped and its tyres deflated.
"I cannot access my
office including my personal items. This raid is a contempt of court and
all we want is a procedural process by the county government. We cannot
allow jungle rule in water affairs," he said today.
Legal tussles
Water
firms in the devolved unit have been embroiled in legal battles with
the County after Mr Wa Iria dissolved their boards over high water
charges and constituted a caretaker committee to oversee their
operations.
However, Muwasco and four other water
companies moved to court challenging the move while accusing the County
boss of a witch hunt.
On Friday, the Murang’a High court suspended Mr Wa Iria's decision pending hearing and determination of the case.
Trouble
began in July this year when the Governor began to grumble over high
water tariffs charged to Murang'a residents by Muwasco. He then summoned
his rival Peter Munga, who heads the company's board, over the matter.
The
tycoon, however, snubbed the meeting with Muwasco rushing to court soon
after to bar the County from holding any public meeting to discuss
water charges.
Not illegal
Earlier
in the month the High Court Judge Hatari Waweru had ruled that water is
a devolved function and that the governor acted in his mandate when
constituting the caretaker committee.
"Water is a
devolved unit that falls under the County government and therefore the
first respondent did not violate the law when establishing the care
taker committee," the judge observed.
Immediately after
the ruling, Mr Iria instructed County Executive Member for Water Mr
Paul Macharia to relocate to Muwasco's offices and operate from there.
He
ordered him to clean up the mess in the company and to make radical
changes in the management of water companies in the County.
"Now
that the court has confirmed that water is our responsibility, I want
Mr Macharia to relocate to Muwasco offices where he is supposed to be
operating from by Monday next week. I will support his changes in the
management of the boards to enhance the service delivery," he said.
The
Governor warned officials from tampering with the company's documents
after the court made its ruling saying he would conduct a thorough audit
to establish the financial status of the firms.
"I
demand a status report from the water companies and no one should try to
alter the accounts or documents so as to steal from the companies," he
told journalists at Murang'a town.
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