A water project worth Ksh11 million meant to serve the residents of Mukameni and Kasarani in Ungatu Village, Kisasi Ward, has come under intense scrutiny after revelations that the initiative has never delivered water to the community despite years of funding.
During an oversight visit by the Kitui County Assembly Committee on Water and Infrastructure, members were shocked by the state of the Mukameni-Kasarani Water Project. The site, which was expected to transform water access in the region, now lies in ruin. Solar panels have been vandalized, the water pump is non-functional, and the entire system appears abandoned.
Residents, including members of the local development committee and the area assistant chief, told the committee that the project was initiated during the first county government and continued to receive budgetary allocations, including in the 2021/2022 financial year. However, it has never been operational since inception.
“This project has never served even a single household,” lamented a resident. “We have watched millions go down the drain while we still fetch water from unsafe sources.”
Locals attributed the failure to shoddy workmanship, lack of community involvement, and a contractor who failed to consult stakeholders during implementation.
Kisasi MCA Hon. Nicholas Mutemi, who joined the oversight tour, strongly condemned the mismanagement of the project, calling it a clear case of economic sabotage. “This is an outright waste of public resources,” he said. “We demand accountability. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission must immediately begin investigations and ensure that those responsible are held to account.”
Hon. Mutemi vowed to push for the project’s revival and ensure that Kisasi residents finally benefit from the water supply they were promised.
Residents echoed the call for justice, stating that a properly implemented water project would drastically improve their quality of life and ease the daily burden of water scarcity.
The EACC is expected to begin preliminary investigations into the project, which many now describe as one of the most glaring examples of mismanagement and neglect in Kisasi Ward.
