Hon Munyao-Led Watchdog Committee Grills Water Ministry Over Revenue Losses

By TCD TEAM.

Kitui County, Tuesday, 8th October 2024 – The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Water and Sanitation, Peter Nkunda, alongside senior officials from Kitui Water and Sanitation Company (KITWASCO) and Kiambere-Mwingi Water and Sanitation Company (KIMWASCO), faced tough questions from the County Assembly’s Committee on Public Investments and Accounts.

The committee, led by Hon. Gabriel Munyao (Kauwi), grilled the officials over issues raised in the Auditor General’s report concerning the companies’ audited financial statements for the financial years 2019/2020 and 2020/2021.The scrutiny revealed significant concerns, particularly the Auditor General’s adverse opinion on the management of non-revenue water. According to the audit, KITWASCO and KIMWASCO reported a 38% non-revenue water rate, far exceeding the allowable limit of 25%, resulting in a loss of Ksh 24 million during the audited period.

Committee members expressed their dissatisfaction with the companies’ inability to address the recurring issue of water loss. The high levels of non-revenue water were attributed to a combination of commercial losses from faulty meters, water theft, vandalism, and broken machinery, especially exposed water pipes.In defense, CECM Nkunda acknowledged the challenges faced by both water companies.

He cited the urgent need for modern solutions, such as replacing outdated meters with smart meters to prevent tampering. Nkunda further appealed to the Committee to advocate for increased budgetary allocations to the Water Ministry in the coming financial years.

The additional funds, he argued, would help tackle the non-revenue water problem by investing in modern infrastructure and addressing the operational inefficiencies plaguing the water companies.

The Committee emphasized the need for KITWASCO and KIMWASCO to improve their billing mechanisms and upgrade their meter systems to reduce water and revenue losses.

The probe into the companies’ operations is ongoing as part of broader efforts to enhance accountability and ensure efficient service delivery in the county’s water sector.