An acute water shortage has hit several villages in Eburru/Mbaruk ward in Gilgil Constituency after the main water dam supplying the commodity burst its banks.
Residents are now accusing a contractor who was recently hired by Nakuru county government to carry out rehabilitation works of deliberately destroying the dam.
Thome Dam that was serving Morgan, Kongasis, Eburru, Nagum and Gema areas burst its banks spilling millions of litres of water although no one was injured.
The residents claimed that trouble started after the contractor embarked on repair works while the dam was full to capacity which led to the bursting of the dam and which further also destroyed several roads that had been graded.
Following the incident, more than 10,000 residents have been left without water as they relied on the dam for both domestic and farming purposes.
The residents now want the contractor investigated and made to take responsibility for the mess.
The Eburru/Mbaruk ward MCA, Samuel Kariuki downplayed the issue, saying the contractor has been ordered to go back and redo the works he had started.
Kariuki said although the dam burst its banks the contractor had not been paid and will resume work immediately.
The Gilgil Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Mutheki Ndambuki confirmed the issue, saying engineers from the county government had been sent to assess the damage.
He said no one was injured during the incident, adding that they took measures, including informing residents of the issue as one way of averting possible loss of lives.
By Esther Mwangi/Brian Kamau
