The Lodwar Water and Sewerage Company (LOWASCO) Board has appointed Esther Lopatio Lokitoe as the new Managing Director (MD) on an interim basis for a period of one year.
Conveying a congratulatory message to Lokitoe on her appointment, the Board Chair, Faith Aletia said the Board has no doubt that the new MD is equal to the task and will deliver and perform as expected.
“On behalf of the Board, we congratulate you on your appointment as a new MD for Lowasco. We wish to assure you of our support in delivering services to the residents in Lodwar Municipality,”Ms Aletia said.
In her acceptance speech, Lokitoe said she received the news with a lot of excitement and promised to do her best to reform and revamp LOWASCO to benefit Lodwar residents.
“This is a privilege for me to work with the Board and LOWASCO to make a meaningful contribution. I bring with me a vast experience of nine years in administration that will add value to the management of the Company,” she said.
Before the appointment, Lokitoe was a Deputy Sub-County Administrator for Turkana Central. She said she will implement the decisions of the LOWASCO Board in changing the face of the water company.
On restoring public confidence, the MD said that will work closely with every stakeholder involved in the water sector to reform and transform it to regain the lost glory.
She said that she is already planning the ‘Lipa Maji Campaign’ which will convince defaulters to pay the Sh. 47 million which has been outstanding revenue for a long time.
This comes barely days after the Board conducted interviews in search of a Managing Director. Lokitoe was among the five candidates who did the interviews last Friday.
The new MD will be responsible for the day to day affairs of the Company. Cognizant of the myriad of challenges in the Water Company, Lokitoe pledged to convert the challenges into opportunities in transforming the Company.
The outgoing Team Leader for LOWASCO, Mr. Kennedy Omondi, who the County Government seconded to the Company in May 2022, took time to congratulate and welcome the new MD to the office.
Omondi pointed out that the cost of electricity and illegal connections have been great challenges in disrupting the steady supply of water services to the people.
Despite the challenges the Company is grappling with, the outgoing Team Leader noted that there have been great strides; UNICEF has drilled three boreholes (Moi Garden and two at Nakwamekwi), while the County Government has also drilled four high yielding boreholes (2 at Nabluon, 1 at Kakemera, 1 at Napuu) during his tenure.
Omondi said he is happy that he is leaving Lowasco at a time when the County Government has done huge investments in increasing revenue, increasing storage infrastructure (8 steel water tanks), reduced cost of electricity through solar installation, pipeline extension, and increased water production (6000m3 to 8400m3 per day).
Having worked for 35 years in the Water Sector, and 14 years in Turkana in different capacities, Omondi said, will be proceeding on leave, as he prepares to exit the public service.
By Peter Gitonga
