Kilifi North MP Owen Baya blames KPLC for worsening water crisis, demands urgent action
MP Owen Baya lamented that residents of Kilifi have been going for weeks without water due to repeated disconnections by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC).
Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya has raised alarm over the worsening water crisis in the region, accusing state agencies of failing to uphold the constitutional right to clean and accessible water.
Baya lamented that residents of Kilifi have been going for weeks without water due to repeated disconnections by the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC), which he said are driven by unaffordable electricity costs incurred in pumping water from Baricho Water Works. The Baricho system supplies water to both Kilifi and parts of Mombasa County.
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"This is a matter of great importance to the people of Kilifi and the Coast region at large. Schools are shutting down, hospitals are barely functioning, and entire communities are suffering simply because water is being disconnected over electricity bills,” said Baya.
He noted that while it is expected that electricity is paid for, KPLC continues to impose what he termed as “hefty and unsustainable tariffs” on water pumping operations, which public utilities cannot afford. This, he said, has led to regular water cuts, undermining essential services and public health in the region.
Baya accused the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the Ministry of Energy, and KPLC of failing to implement key recommendations passed by the previous parliament. He referred to a report approved by the Committee on Energy in response to a public petition regarding unfair water tariffs in Kilifi County.
“One of the main recommendations was for EPRA to convene a consultative forum with Water Works Development Agencies, water companies, and various water service boards to develop a non-commercial tariff for water pumping and supply for public utilities such as Baricho Water Works,” he said.
However, Baya stated that despite a 90-day timeline set for EPRA to report back on the matter, no action was taken. “EPRA failed to act, the Ministry of Energy ignored it, and KPLC continues to disconnect water at will,” he added.
The MP called on the National Assembly’s Committee on Implementation to summon EPRA officials, the Cabinet Secretary and Principal Secretary for Energy, and other key players to explain why the people of Kilifi are being denied their basic rights.
“We cannot continue to have people of Kilifi suffer from water deficiency, and yet there is plenty of water because of the wrong tariffs. KPLC has been one of the thorns for our enjoyment of our rights, even when we must pay for electricity, we agree, but not at the detriment of denying people water for two weeks because of electricity bills,” he said.
He urged the Ministry of Energy, EPRA, KPLC, and all relevant stakeholders to immediately implement the resolutions in the approved parliamentary report and resume water supply.
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