Bungoma County governor Wycliffe Wangamati has been lauded for acquiring a drilling machine which will drill water in schools, markets and health centres to curb water shortage problem in the county.
The governor’s opponents have been criticized by his closest supporters led by former deputy Speaker of Bungoma County Assembly who is also Siboti ward representative Wamusai Simiyu.
Speaking on Wednesday at St. Peters Secondary School in Bumula sub County during the launch of water drilling in the county, Simiyu accused Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa and former Kakamega Senator Dr. Bonny khalwale for their propaganda politics.
Simiyu, an ally to Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, said that Dr. Bonny Khalwale should stop his lame accusations.
“Khalwale is a failure and he can tell us nothing here in Bungoma. Let him go back to Kakamega and make unnecessary noise from there but here in Bungoma we will not allow him,” he said.
He dismissed Kimilili MP as a political conman saying that he should stop his nuisance or else he would face rough time with Wangamati’s allies.
“Wangamati is here to serve and stay. I cannot accept threats from selfish leaders who live in Nairobi and are failures. Let them come on the ground and witness developments,” he said.
He lauded Wangamati for considering his ward for the water project saying this would ease the problem of water shortage as residents would readily access clean water.
The MCA said Bumula Sub County has been a water crisis area but the problem has now been solved.
Speaking during the same function, the governor affirmed that the machine would drill 45 boreholes in the entire County.
Wangamati said that Sirisia and Bumula Sub Counties were the two areas with a water shortage crisis.
He confirmed that instead of the county government hiring a contractor to drill water, the county government decided to purchase their own drilling machine which would drill more bore holes at lower cost.
“This machine can drill water to a level of 350 metres underground but here we are lucky the water is found at a 100metres’ depth,” he said.
He added that the county government has a Sh80 million project to pump water from Mt. Elgon towers to serve residents at the lower areas including Chwele, Sirisia and Kabuchai which would be complete by the end of 2021.
“After drilling water, a tank will be erected to collect water so that it can serve more people,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Environment, Water and Tourism County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Renson Makheti who said that Bungoma has many water sources but the government should better them to serve the community.
Makheti said the county drilling rig has several equipment like the test pumping unit to measure the level of water for easier drilling.
Also present was the county executive for roads Collins Mukhongo and his counterpart for health Anthony Walela.
By Maureen Imbayi
