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BREAKING NEWSActivist claims life is in danger after unmasking corruption at water agency

Activist claims life is in danger after unmasking corruption at water agency

The Capital Youths Caucus Association Secretary General Evans Momanyi fears that his life is in danger after allegedly receiving threatening calls from unknown people.

Momanyi who has recorded a statement at the Ferry Police station under OB.NO. 28/12/04/2023 is blaming senior officers at the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA) for planning his predicament.

He is blaming the senior officers at CWWDA for using a police officer by the name Toya to threaten him over his stand against what he terms as corrupt dealings at the government agency.

“I have received calls since yesterday from a police officer called Thoya that i appear before him. I told him to do it in writing and he has not responded to me. At first he claimed that i had written corrupt dealings concerning CWWDA.” said in an interview with journalists.

He adds that his refusal to appear before the officer was followed by calls from people he doesn’t know.

“Since yesterday I received calls from several people I don’t know saying that they want to take my head,” he added.

He says that he has told his lawyers to institute legal action against those threatening him and adds that some businessmen who owns a posh hotel are also behind his fate.

For the last three months, the water agency in question has been on the wrong side of media publications, among them water shortages in several parts of Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi despite receiving billions of donor funds and government allocations.

In March, some civic organizations reportedly wrote to investigative agencies   to probe possible misappropriation of funds set aside for construction of water distribution pipelines and sanitation facilities in Mombasa.

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Several projects have been in investigative radar where millions of money have been eaten.

“It is on this note that we are writing to bring to your attention the above subject matter for your urgent attention, investigation and intervention. We forward to you the chronology of events pertaining to this matter and all attachments for ease of reference as hereunder. THAT the above said commissions of corruption aimed at misappropriating funds set aside for construction of water distribution pipelines and sanitation facilities in Mombasa,” part of the letter reads.

The civic organization argued that the process to award those tenders were predetermined in favor of a certain companies among them, Lohim Limited company owned by Esther P. Thongori commonly referred by many as Hadassah, the lady is rumored to be Jira’s girlfriend.

Stanslus Jira is the head of procurement at CWWDA.

According to the caucus, the agency has also been working more closely with Chinese owned firms at the expense of Kenyan start-ups to enhance growth. In the same project, over eight Chinese linked firms submitted their tenders with some quoting a bidding price of over Sh2 Billion.

Also of concern to stakeholders in the water sector was the manner in which new positions were created and ultimately filled at the agency.

The board at the agency initiated changes in the leadership structure by putting some of the staff on contract (3 years)  on a permanent and pensionable term without advertising through the internal memo so that the other staff can apply for the same posts.

The Board created new positions of Directors of departments and shockingly all the positions were grabbed by the senior officers.

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Those against the move claimed the new organization structure is against the law and discriminates against other officers from getting an equal opportunity to be appointed.

New positions created include, Director-Infrastructure and projects management, Director-Financial services, Director-Legal services and Director-Human resource services.

The positions are currently filled as follows, Finance Manager-Stephen Masaai, Technical manager-Martin Tsuma, Acting CEO Human Resource Manager-Simon Charo Menza, Legal and company secretary-Mary Kioma and lastly Audit manager-Hamadi Mwazito.

The move by the activist to record a statement comes just a few days after the construction of the Mwache dam in Kwale County was unveiled by the Head of State president William Ruto.

It is set to be completed in August 2026. The project will supply more than 230 million litres of water daily for irrigation and domestic consumption.

Residents of the historic Old Town in Mombasa are decrying the systemic water shortage in the area which has lasted two months now, as the water provider banks on Sh18 billion Mwache dam to solve the problem.

Water problems at the coast have been perennial despite the billions of shillings allocated to CWWDA over the years. The existence of county owned water companies have not helped either with observers saying that the government parastatal has been turned into a tenderpreneurship den

“ It is all about tenders and who gets what and this is an African problem deeply entrenched and practiced here at CWWDA,” an insider told the journalists

On Tuesday, Old Town residents staged a protest at the Mombasa Water Supply and Sanitation Company (MOWASSCO) offices; they wanted the company to address the perennial water problem in their vicinity.

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It was just a fortnight ago when Mombasa Governor Abdhulswamad Nassir warned water agencies in the region to get their act right or close shop.

Kilifi and Kwale residents in January called on the state to initiate changes in water agencies in the region where they cited massive corruption.

“There have been promises after promises and despite the many water projects that have been launched over the years,all we read is how many have been stolen and  how contractor X and Z have not been paid or have abandoned work,” a furious resident from Taita Taveta Anthony Kazungu said.

Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Alice Wahome is believed to be following proceedings at the CWWDA especially after receiving directions from President William Ruto that all water projects at the coast whether donor funded or government funded must be finished within the stipulated time.

Those on the spot includes Stephen Masai, head of finance and Stanlas Jira. Some engineers are also pointing fingers at Masai for his cockroach kind of leadership.

“We wonder why we are not allowed to supervise some projects Masai always claims that he has no money.” Claimed one of the engineer

 

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