Locals demand jobs, consultation in Mombasa water project rollout
According to residents, the trench digging has disrupted businesses, restricted access to shops, and damaged sections of pedestrian walkways.
Residents of Mwembe Tayari have accused the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company (MOWASSCO) of sidelining them in the World Bank-funded Water and Sanitation Development Project.
The project was launched in 2021 to enhance the county’s water distribution network through pipeline upgrades and expansions aimed at reducing losses and improving reliability.
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The project, financed under the Water and Sanitation Development Programme, is intended to modernise Mombasa’s water infrastructure, replace ageing pipelines, and improve access to safe water in both urban and peri-urban areas. It forms part of a wider national effort to address chronic shortages and high wastage in the water supply.
However, tensions have flared in Mwembe Tayari after locals alleged that the project’s contractor began excavation works without notifying community leaders or securing clearance from local authorities.
Mwembe Tayari Chief Mohamed Musa confirmed he had not been informed before the works began. (Farhiya Hussein)
According to residents, the trench digging has disrupted businesses, restricted access to shops, and damaged sections of pedestrian walkways.
The community further claims that MOWASSCO has failed to honour a 2021 agreement reached during initial consultations, which included assurances that residents would be prioritised for employment during the project’s implementation.
Mwembe Tayari Chief Mohamed Musa confirmed he had not been informed before the works began.
“As the local authority, I must be kept in the loop to address residents’ concerns. Traders are already complaining about blocked access caused by the trenches, and the promised compensation for business disruption has not been paid,” Mohamed said.
The chief issued an order to suspend work until the commitments made four years ago are met.
“You can’t just show up and start digging. How do we even know you are on a genuine project and not interfering with underground utilities?” he said.
Community activist Farida Toll. (Farhiya Hussein)
Community activist Farida Toll also criticised the manner in which the works were launched, saying it disregarded prior consultations with World Bank representatives and local leaders.
“In 2021, we agreed that locals would be given job opportunities and included in project processes. Four years later, the project starts, and not one worker here is from Mwembe Tayari,” she said, noting that similar disputes in Kisauni and Likoni had previously led to work stoppages.
Local youths, many of whom are unemployed, say the decision to bring in outside labour has left them feeling betrayed.
“We sit here every day hoping for work, but people from other places are hired instead. Why should we be jobless while our project employs outsiders?” one youth asked.
Business owners have also voiced frustration, saying that while they support infrastructure development, it should be done in a way that minimises disruption and benefits the community.
“We understand the importance of clean water, but the way this is being done is hurting us. Customers can’t reach our shops, and there is no sign of the jobs we were promised,” said a trader.
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