A severe water shortage continues to handicap residents of Masalani town, Ijara Sub-County of Garissa County due to disconnection of electricity supply by Kenya Power company.
According to the residents, the water shortage has gone on for a whole week due to an accumulated electricity bill and failure to pay for the last two months by the water supply agency.
Residents blame Masalani Water Supply for the water shortage and have called for the clearance of the bill while at the same time appealing to the Kenya Power management to give the supplier some grace period to streamline the financial flow from Garissa County government.
Youth Chairman, Abdullahi Abdi and former Council Chairman Mohamed Gure said the two entities should work together to ensure service delivery is enhanced to the public.
The duo said residents are held up for many hours in long queues due to the water scarcity, some even go back home with empty jerricans. A 5, 000-litre bowser drawing water from Tana River, sells the commodity at Sh1000, leaving only a few who can afford to buy the commodity, disadvantaging those who cannot afford.
Contacted for comment, Ijara Water Services Coordinator, Mr James Ombaso, said he was unwell and was not adequately briefed since he had been out of station for treatment in Nairobi.
When contacted by KNA on phone, Garissa County Executive member for Water Services, Mr Ahmed Abdirahman said the matter has been addressed by Garissa County government and water will be available as soon as possible.
Abdirahman asked residents who have not paid their water bills to do so for efficient service delivery.
By Mohamed Dahir
