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{
    "id": 1085182,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1085182/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 181,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Faki",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13211,
        "legal_name": "Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji",
        "slug": "mohamed-faki-mwinyihaji-2"
    },
    "content": "Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I rise, pursuant to Standing Order No.47 (1), to make a Statement on an issue of general topical concern and national importance, namely the poor state of service provision and alleged mismanagement of water, sanitation and sewerage companies in our counties. Water services are a devolved function under the Constitution, and pursuant to the provision of the Water Act (2016). The national Government is tasked with the management of water sources where the county governments are charged with the responsibility of provision of water services to the general population in their respective counties. This service is offered through the various water and sewerage companies established in each of the counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, these water and sanitation companies buy water in bulk from the water service companies in their respective regions and then sell to the residents in these counties. Some of the water companies existed before the advent of devolution and were doing extremely well. However, with the advent of devolution, majority of the water companies are performing below average, and there is imminent danger as some of the water companies in the counties are threatened with insolvency since they are already reeling under huge amounts of debts, including outstanding electricity bills and general mismanagement. Madam Temporary Speaker, for instance, in Mombasa County, the Mombasa Water and Sanitation and Sewerage Company (MOWASSCO) has been unable to pay some of its employees who have been retired for the last two years. Further, in 2019 while meeting with the County Government of Kwale, the Senate Committee on County Public Accounts and Investments was informed that the Kwale Water and Sewerage Company (KWSC) had been unable to pay electricity and that the water services to the Coast Water Services Company and that water was about to be disconnected to the county due to unpaid Bills. The list is endless, and I am sure each Senator given an opportunity to speak has a testament of a similar situation in his or her county. Madam Temporary Speaker, whereas the county governments have financial resources at their disposal, an analysis of the county budgets show that there has been minimal investments in the water sector by these county governments. Most of the budget provisions are channelled to recurrent expenditure as very little goes to capital expenditure. To make matters worse, the water companies have not featured in the County Public Accounts Committees (CPAC) reports as they are said to be audited by the county assemblies. I am yet to see such any audit reports of any water services companies in my tenure as a Senator at the Senate. This lack of serious audit mechanism has led to a lot of misappropriation of funds and mismanagement in the water companies resulting in poor service delivery and perennial water shortage and lack of water in our counties. Madam Temporary Speaker, be that as it may, the water sector has continued to attract a lot of donor funding from the World Bank as well as the European Union (EU) The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}