Kenya: Coast water firms to be amalgamated to two

Water and Irrigation Minister, Charity Ngilu. Photo: Business Daily

Are women less corrupt than men? Kenya’s water minister Charity Ngilu seems to think so.  In the controversy surrounding the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company, she said she would only approve a new board “if it was gender balanced and that the treasurer be a woman to help contain mismanagement of public funds”.

Read the full story below:

Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company which has been at the centre of controversy will be dissolved following planned merger of all water firms at the Coast.

The plan involves merging all the water companies in the Coast to form two — one for the North and the second for the South Coast.

The dissolution of the company which has been dogged by allegations of mismanagement would be a slap in the face of local mayor Ahmed Mohdhar who has been fighting for the formation of a new board of directors.

Three years ago the ministry of Water disbanded the firm’s board of directors following alleged mismanagement of funds and since then the company has been running without a board.

Water minister Charity Ngilu early this year was to inaugurate a new board but had to call off the meeting after fierce protests from residents who disapproved of the people who had been picked as directors.

Mrs Ngilu said she would only give a nod to the new board if it was gender balanced and that the treasurer be a woman to help contain mismanagement of public funds.

But as tension rocked the company, Coast Water Services Board (CWSB) chief executive officer Idd Mwasina said all the water firms in the region would be merged into two.

[...] The CWSB boss added that the Ministry of Water came up with the new regulation so as to improve the management and operations of water services in the region.

He said another reason for the planned merger which is expected to be in force before the end of the year was to save some companies which cannot sustain themselves.

“Some companies have been struggling since the revenue generated cannot sustain their water operations. The aim of the companies is to ensure the commodity reach of all residents rather than for them to make profits,” Mr Mwasina said.

[...] It has also emerged that Mrs Ngilu rejected the formation of the Mombasa water company board since the mayor had flouted the nomination of directors’ process.

Source: Mathias Ringa, The Nation / allAfrica.com, 14 Oct 2009