A Murang’a water firm has been dealt a major blow by a Muranga High court in it’s plan to take over the customer accounts of another water service provider l.
Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (Muwasco) has been plotting to take over the accounts of customers served by Murang’a South Water and Sanitation Company (Muswasco) in a jurisdiction battle between the two water utilities that serve Muranga North and Muranga South regions of Muranga.
The High Court decision followed a petition filed by two water consumers ie Peter Macharia and Cecilia Macharia who successfully pleaded with the court to stop Muwasco from taking over their accounts on account that they were not issued with a proper notice before the transfer.
Their move has been informed by Muwasco’s text messages sent to Muswasco consumers indicating that it would take over their water accounts. The petitioners said no information had been availed to them over the transfer and that they have heavily invested in Muswasco’s infrastructure, saying that the transfer is illegal and uncalled for.
The orders issued by Justice James Wakiaga have further intensified the squabbles between the two water companies two months after President William Ruto issued an order for Muwasco to manage Sh800m Maragua dam.
The water firms had wrangled for about four years over their areas of jurisdiction with Muwasco pushing to have its boundaries expanded to Maragua, a bid that Muswasco resisted saying it needed the dam to expand coverage in its area.
Muswasco claimed that it had lobbied for Maragua dam while Muwasco said it had the capacity to manage it as it has already provided sufficient water coverage to Murang’a town