Poisonous water crackdown now targets Mike Sonko, hiding water firm MD

By , K24 Digital
On Tue, 20 Aug, 2019 12:44 | 2 mins read
Mike Sonko
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko at a past function. PHOTO | COURTESY
Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko at a past function. PHOTO | COURTESY

By George Kebaso

The crackdown on public officials responsible for increased pollution of Nairobi River now targets Governor Mike Sonko and Nairobi water company MD Nahashon Muguna.

Water Resources Management Authority Chairman Joe Mutambu said the multi-agency team tackling the issue would go for managers of targeted institutions, including Governor Mike Sonko.

On Tuesday, National Environment Management Authority (Nema) urged Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company’s acting MD Nahashon Muguna to present himself to their offices in Nairobi.

Mr Muguna narrowly escaped arrest on Monday morning when he learnt that Nema enforcement officers were pursuing him for failing to comply with an order to repair sewer lines in the city.

Nema said the sewer lines have been polluting Nairobi River and its several tributaries.

Nairobi River has several tributaries, namely: Ruiru, Kamiti, Kasarani, Karura, Gitathuru and Mathare rivers.

Nema’s acting Director-General Mamo B. Mamo led a team to the water company's offices on Monday morning to arrest Mr Muguna.

Mr Mamo told the media that Mr Muguna may vave been tipped off his impending arrest and escaped.

Efforts to reach him on his mobile phone were fruitless as it remained switched off.

He said the agency plans to repair over 100 leaks on sewer lines which polluted Nairobi River.

"We have summoned him, and made it clear that we are going to arrest him and have him charged with polluting the river," he said.

The Nema boss promised to address the serious pollution of Nairobi River, an issue highlighted in a series of articles by local media.

"Our officers have established that there are 122 discharge points that have been discharging the raw sewer into the river. So to address these challenges we must cure the root cause," he said.

A multi-agency team established to spearhead the city's regeneration programme listed the water firm, Nairobi County Government and the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) as the biggest polluters of Nairobi River and its tributaries.

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