Kilifi,KENYA:Residents of Kilifi County are crying foul over water shortage that has taken center stage for the past few weeks.
The problem is said to have affected the business community especially the hotel industry and residential houses.
According to residents they are forced to use salty water for their daily uses which is unsafe for human health.
Speaking in Kilifi town, a section of residents’ interviewed randomly by Baraka FM expressed their fear of contracting diseases as a result of consuming the salty water.
“The water shortage in this county is now becoming a norm to us residents, because it has been occurring very often and the County government is watching tight lipped,” said Maimuna Farouq, a fish vendor in Kilifi town.
“We have been badly affected by this water shortage in our café here and even our clients run away from us because we are not in a position to provide them with clean water to drink after taking food,” said another business woman who did not want to be mentioned.
Hezekia Mwarua, director of Kilifi, Mariakani water and Sewerage Company said the problem is as a result of unpaid power bills.
He said the power bills have been reducing abnormally and later boom to an extent where it cannot be sorted out at once.
“This has occurred due to unpaid power bills which has been a result of abnormal figures from the Kenya power Company,” Mwarua said.
“A few months back the bills used to be kshs. 25 million but then later on it changed abruptly to as low as Kshs. 9 million. It then hiked to Kshs. 76 million,” he added.
Mwarua said KIMAWASCO has already held talks with Kenya power Company and a lasting solution have been reached.
He said anytime from now water would be reconnected.
