On Friday, March 10, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation conducted a massive operation against illegal water connections in Nairobi’s Lang’ata Constituency.
Officials from the Water Ministry collaborated with police officers to disconnect 500 water lines in the populous constituency in an operation dubbed Linda Maji Lipa Maji.
The operation focused on Raila Village in Langata Constituency, where they discovered many households using illegally connected water.
“In total, 48 suspects have been apprehended and fined on various charges ranging from illegal water connections to vandalism,” said the Ministry.
Kipronoh Ronoh, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Water and Sanitation, oversaw the operation and warned Kenyans against making illegal water connections.
“The PS was flanked by Secretary Administration Evans Mutari MBS, SDSs Douglas Mutai and Francis Bor. Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company was represented by the CEO Eng Nahashon Muguna,” the Ministry added
PS Ronoh noted that culprits will be charged for illegally acquiring public assets and misuse of natural resources.
The suspects will also face vandalism charges which may land them in jail or pay significant amounts of money in fines and compensations to the government.
The combined multi-agencies are working to remove the illegal water connections from all villages in the country, not just in Nairobi alone.
The operation came just a month after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Monday, January 30, 2023, launched a new police unit whose responsibility was to handle criminal cases relating to water theft.
The Water Police Unit (WPU) of the Administration police is working with various stakeholders to provide security to the critical water infrastructure in the country.
“Upon deliberation by the Ministry of Water and the NPS, a need was identified to provide armed security and protection to critical water facilities to avert criminal activities that may greatly derail water resources in up to 34 counties under the water works development agencies,” Kindiki stated in a press conference.
Kindiki lamented that the government is losing some Ksh10.6 billion yearly on non-revenue water that is mainly stolen by local residents.
Raila Village in Langata Constituency is named after the veteran Opposition Leader Raila Amollo Odinga, who is also the former Prime Minister of Kenya.
