Two arraigned for water diversion in Nairobi

Two water vendors in Nairobi were on Tuesday arrested and charged in court for water diversion.

Appearing before City Court Principal Magistrate Mary Njagi, Kennedy Ambole Omfumo and Fredrick Bosire Nyanyumba denied the charges and were released on a cash bail of Ksh.50,000 each.

The two reportedly committed the offence at Bus Station within Nairobi’s Central Business District along Hakati road on Tuesday.

They were accused of diverting water from a property belonging to the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company contrary to section 145 of the Water Act 2016.

The case was set for mentioning on December 18, 2018.

The arrest of the two individuals comes barely two days after Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko launched a crackdown against water cartels in the capital city.

On Saturday, during the Nairobi monthly clean up exercise in Mathare, Sonko said the cartels have disconnected water pipes diverting water to private vendors who are selling the basic commodity at very high prices in various city estates.

“Investigations reveal that the water shortage being experienced in many parts of Nairobi is as a result of sabotage by water cartels whose days are now numbered,” said Sonko.

The Governor also offered a cash reward of Ksh.300,000 to city residents who will arrest water cartels diverting water to private vendors in estates.

Sonko further offered a reward of Ksh.10,000 to the public if they arrest Nairobi City County Government officials who collude with water cartels to divert water.