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{
    "id": 1490840,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1490840/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 155,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Sifuna",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13599,
        "legal_name": "Sifuna Edwin Watenya",
        "slug": "sifuna-edwin-watenya"
    },
    "content": "the Committee and especially the Chairperson to make sure that we right the wrongs in many of these water companies. As you can see from the report, the Chairperson and the Committee have demonstrated in-depth knowledge and understanding of the issues that are facing these water companies. They are making recommendations that will, help in trying to resolve some of the issues that have bedevilled these particular water companies. I am also very proud that this Committee has done almost 80 reports of those water company reports so far. We are at 100 per cent in terms of addressing the question of ownership, which was not the situation that was obtaining prior to Sen. Osotsi being the Chairperson of this committee. Therefore, I take this opportunity to thank the Chairperson, the Senator for Vihiga County, who is also my Deputy Party Leader. These are some of the things that Kenyans have come to expect from the very high-quality leadership of the ODM. We are setting the pace for other Committees. Allow me to address two things that have been raised by the Committee. You have heard the Chairperson make various references to the situation with water in Nairobi County. The first one is the question of non-revenue water. From the discussions before that Committee, the NWSC, is one of those companies with the highest non-revenue water and various reasons have been cited. In very simple terms, non-revenue water is revenue that somehow leaves the company, but is not billed and the county or company does not receive money for that water. One of the issues that have been cited is dilapidated infrastructure. The truth of the matter is, that here in Nairobi, the water and sewerage infrastructure that we are operating on has been stretched beyond its capacity. As the Chair said, we are still relying on the original water and sanitation infrastructure when the city was built by the Mzungu . One of the things that I have never understood is if you look at our laws, there is a law that is called the Urban Areas and Cities Act. This law, under Sections Five and Six, provides for a framework of cooperation between the national Government and the county government and especially the city-county of Nairobi, recognizing the unique position of Nairobi City County amongst the 47 counties. This uniqueness arises from many things, including the fact that Nairobi City County is the capital of the Republic. It hosts the diplomatic headquarters of many countries. It also is a seat of Government. Many national Government institutions are situated here in Nairobi. Under that Act, the expectation was that in the realization of the uniqueness of Nairobi, the national Government would support the development of critical infrastructure like the water and sanitation infrastructure, but this has never happened. If you speak to the management of the water company and the County Government of Nairobi City in general, the amount of capital outlay that is required to bring the sanitation and water infrastructure up to speed is something that would require over five years allocation under the equitable revenue share for us to do that infrastructure. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}