Power supply to Masalani town water supply station has been disconnected by the Kenya Power (KPLC) for the last two weeks due to accrued electricity bills amounting to Sh1.4 million.
According to Kenya Power company Officer-In-Charge Hola Sub-station, Mr Silas Joseph, the power consumption by the Masalani Water Supply intake area has been pending unserviced for the last three months.
Silas said it took the Garissa County Government several months to clear the electricity bill and blamed the Garissa County administration for the impasse.
He said the water shortages could have been avoided if Garissa County government could have cleared the electricity bill in due course.
However, residents in Masalani town are starving and suffering as they fetch water from River Tana 6km away or from boreholes sunk by development partners, along Majengo, Kilindini and Fanchua area along River Tana.
Institutions including Masalani Hospital, Shurie Boys Secondary school, Yussuf Haji Girls Secondary school are on the verge of imminent closure, if water supply is not restored in due course.
The Chief Officer at the Department of Water Services, Mr Ahmed Abdirahman, said the office was doing everything possible to ensure water bills are cleared, blaming some of the residents for defaulting on paying water bills amounting to of about Sh1000 per month in every connection.
Residents however lament over the continuous escalating water bills every month yet the Energy Regulatory Authority were instructed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to review electricity charges countrywide.
“It seems KPLC are overbilling the Masalani Water Supply on the electricity lest there are cartels in the whole saga of water shortage ranging from water supply and the County Administration, water bowsers are making huge sums of money from the residents in Masalani town. A water bowser ferrying water to residents charges Sh1,500 which is too expensive to the residents,” a Mr Abdi speaking on behalf of residents lamented.
They appealed to Garissa County leadership that include Governor Ali Bunow Korane, Garissa Senator, Abdul Mohamed Haji and Ijara legislator, Sophia Abdi Noor to intervene, noting if the situation persists the area risks an imminent water borne disease outbreak.
