After losing his seat in the August General Elections, a former MCA has now caught the eyes of the public but on a wrong move that has literally angered them.
Former Ganda MCA Reuben Katana is reportedly to have engaged in a physical fight with a section of his electorates for allegedly personalizing a community water project that cost taxpayers over Sh 2.1 million.
It all began after Mr Katana began charging a fee to the locals after losing the election to enable them access water.
It is alleged that he had installed the electricity meter that uses tokens under his name.
Locals claim they had to part with money to buy tokens using Katanas account daily failure to which they would not get water while he was enjoying the same water at his home.
Angered by that decision the Mshongoleni community reportedly approached the current MCA Oscar Wanje for help and after a meeting with him, it was resolved that he would fund them to change the whole system from the submissive machine of the borehole, pumps, and electricity meter.
As they took a technician to check the old system and do an assessment and a quotation the former MCA who stays a few meters away from the water point reportedly stormed the area and confronted them leading to a physical fight where some community members were injured.
When journalists visited the scene community members were busy digging trenches from the borehole site to the water station site under the supervision of the MCA who had already bought everything required to install the water pumping system including a KPLC drop to get a new meter.
The Chairman of Mshongoleni Water project Kalama Rimba told journalists that the borehole was funded by Kilifi County Government two years ago and they installed a water tank for storage so as to enable the community to access water easily.
He said the project was benefitting a population of more than 7000 people.
“After the August 9 General election is when we began getting trouble accessing water from this borehole,” he said.
Rimba said the EX MCA was using the same electricity for the borehole at his house and used to pay when he was in office to enable people to access water but shortchanged them after losing.
He said as a community they sent a village elder to inquire him why they were not getting water promptly and he revealed that he would no longer afford to pay the electricity bill for the community.
The Chairman said they mobilized the community to contribute to Sh. 50 per household so as to get water which cost them Sh. 900 per day.
“After two months we found the costs were high and we sought help from the sitting MCA Oscar Wanje ,”he said.
He said three people who had gone to record statements over the scuffle with the Ex MCA were arrested for allegedly being vandalists after Katana also reported that there were thieves who were stealing his electricity meters.
The Community demanded their release or else they would demonstrate to the police station.
Malindi Police officer Commanding Station (OCS) together with officers visited the project to hear from the community and was shown how the residents were suffering.
The area village elder Samson Yaa said he received complaints from the community that they were having challenges in accessing water since he lost the election.
He said the MCA supported them with all the machines required to install at the borehole and connect power for the community to get water free of charge.
The Former MCA was using the water as his personal property despite the fact that it was a community project, he said.
Ganda Ward Administrator Bernard Ngowa who was also present said the borehole belonged to the county government and was established for the Community of Mshongoleni.
“The person purporting that the project is his personal property and uses it for his household needs is wrong the project is for Mshongoleni residents to get water services,” he said.
Yaa called on the Ex-MCA to respect the Mshongoleni community so that they get water services
Contacted for comment the former MCA said during his short tenure as a legislator for one year and eight months his area near his home benefitted from a borehole that had a hand pump whose maintenance costs were high.
While admitting that the project belongs to the county Katana said he initiated a plan to change the system from hand pumping to an electric system as children were always damaging the hand pump.
He said the electricity connection was done directly with his personal line as he was the one paying bills but after losing the elections, the costs were high and asked the community to contribute.
However, he said the community came at night and vandalized the electricity meter forcing him to protest and five men attacked him.
Katana blamed the whole scuffle on his opponent who instead of coming up with a solution created a conflict by removing the old submissive machine and replaced with another one.
“I called some of the community members and told them that I used to pay the electricity bill for the water but because I have lost the election my earnings are low so I would only pay for you on Saturdays but if they want to drink daily they contribute and I would pay the tokens,” he said.
Ustadh Hussein Mzee and Sulubu Maitha from Ganda ward condemned the conflict between the two leaders due to a project that was for a community.
They said they do not want conflicts and instead, leaders should focus on development.
