SGR contractor steps in with free water for Emali residents, hospital as Nulturesh Water Company woes deepen

A Standard gauge railway (SGR) Cargo train loaded with exclusive Maersk containers leaves the port of Mombasa. [Photo: Maarufu Mohamed,Standard]

Residents of Emali town breathed a sigh of relief when the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) contractor stepped in to provide free water. They had gone without water for over a month.

China Roads and Bridges Corporation came to the rescue of the locals after Nulturesh Water Company, which supplies water to Emali town and other parts of Makueni County, discontinued its services.

This followed a week-long workers’ strike over delayed salaries, which prompted the company to suspend most of its staff.

“Until the Chinese company came to our rescue, we had suffered for over a month without water. We bought unsafe water from unknown sources for between Sh30 and Sh40,” said Ndanu Muiya, a resident.

The Chinese contractor, which has been supplying water to the residents, for two weeks now, draws the commodity from its borehole. Water bowsers then transport the water to a tank where locals get it.

“This is a huge relief for us… they have lessened our suffering,” said Joseph Mutua, another resident who runs a hotel in the town.

Locals suffering

Mr Xu Zeng Quan, the deputy general manager for section 7 of the SGR, which covers Emali and surrounding areas, told The Standard they were responding to the locals’ need after seeing their suffering.

“We were touched after seeing residents walk all day long with empty jerrycans in search of water. Since we are working in their locality, we felt there was need to share what we have with them. Our supply will go on until their normal supply resumes,” said Mr Xu.

The contractor has also extended the same services to Emali Modern Hospital, which was also hit hard by water scarcity.

“We went without water for four weeks and it was terrible,” said Sylvester Waita, the clinical officer in charge of the facility.

Speaking in Wote town on Friday, while on a tour of the ongoing Thwake dam project, Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui regretted that Nulturesh Water Company's woes had got out of hand.

Chelugui promised that he would meet the governors of Makueni, Kajiado and Machakos soon to address issues affecting the water company.

Nulturesh Water Company is based in Kajiado County where Governor Joseph ole Lenku has insisted it should increase supply to residents.