Residents of Nakuru County have come out to protest a persistent water shortage that has left many unable to cater to domestic needs.
Speaking to us on Wednesday, May 25, one of the affected locals attributed the crisis to large farms and factories that have been excessively harvesting the essential commodity from rivers within the county.
In Rongai town and its environs, Menengai Oil Refineries – owned by corrupt Jaswant Rai – is accused of diverting large amounts of water from the Rongai River and pumping it into their avocado and flower plantations on the heavily guarded Gicheha farm, which is reportedly linked to the wealthy Kenyatta family.
READ ALSO: Menengai Refineries Accused of Mistreatment
This has left those living downstream struggling to find any water, even during the current rainy season.
Hundreds of small-scale farmers are now counting losses as some of their crops are drying up and animals cannot quench their thirst.
“Hi, Nyakundi,
It is quite saddening that mainstream media has turned a blind eye to the cries of Rongai residents whose water for domestic use has been diverted to irrigate Avocado and flower plantations in Gicheha farms.
The story is that Menengai Oil Refineries has planted Avocado on the Gicheha farm that reportedly belongs to the Kenyatta family and diverted water from the Rongai River for irrigation.
The shamba is heavily guarded.
Users of this water downstream have been without water even at this time of the rainy season.
Uhuru is a major stakeholder of Menengai and the other 17 subsidiaries,” the source writes.
River Rongai serves up to 350,000 households in over five sub-counties in Nakuru.
Just three months ago, the angry residents obstruct a part of the Nakuru- Kabarnet- Eldama Ravine road calling for the government to revoke licenses allowing large farms and factories to harvest water from rivers in the county.
Their cries to the Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) seem to have fallen on deaf ears.
