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{
    "id": 73995,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/73995/?format=api",
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    "content": "of interruptions in terms of disconnection of electricity are being experienced now and then. But, more importantly, I would like to kindly request the Minister that these water companies at the constituencies should be structured and their boundaries redrawn so that they do not overwrap over one or two constituencies like in my case, we have the Oloitoktok and Nolle Turesh water companies. They overwrap over two constituencies or even three; that is Makueni, Loitoktok or Kajiado South and Kajiado Central. The Tanathi Water Services Board finds it sometimes difficult in really giving services to the people using those structures. So, as much as we debate this Motion, it is good that the Minister really looks at that structure of the water services board to the constituency level because there is a lot of ambiguity. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, again, in the water sector, we have so many offices at the district level to an extent that it is causing a lot of confusion to people. They do not know which office to go to when they need a certain service. For instance, we have what we call WARMA. This is an office under the Ministry of Water and Irrigation that is supposed to take activities or to be in charge of water from rivers or you need to get a permit in order to use river water. We also have a district water officer or engineer and then we have another one in charge of the pipeline or under the water service board. It becomes so confusing that the Minister for Water and Irrigation really needs to use the water service boards to streamline the offices so that there is a lot of clarity in terms of the role and responsibility for people to get proper services. But coming to the main issue on the water service boards, it is also good that the objective and functions of these water service boards be made very clear. If it is a matter of distribution of water based on the water basins, it is important that we define the whole country or using the counties as it is now because I believe provision of water should actually be a service or a function of the national government rather than even a county for that matter. Then you really need to take an inventory of the water basins within the country based on the county levels and the county boundaries and look for ways of redistributing it so equitably within the counties. You will find, for instance, a certain county like the Mover of the Motion has said, that where he comes from there are four or eight rivers that drain into Lake Victoria and another one into Lake Turkana. That county has legitimate claim to have a water service board that distributes water based on the river basin. But you will find that another county that has no single river within the county is the one that is housing the water service board. So, we deny the source of the water actually the right to have water. Taking of the inventory is very important for equitable distribution of this very important resource called water based on those county levels. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, otherwise, it is a good motion and I must really support the Ministry. I am aware that they have gone ahead in really coming up with such structures. I urge them to put more effort and try to redistribute the water service boards in the whole country as equitably as possible. I beg to support."
}