'Get an experienced operator!' Angry Water CS Mugaa advises Governor Wanga over 'dead' water facility
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
'Get an experienced operator!' Angry Water CS Mugaa advises Governor Wanga over 'dead' water facility
Audio By Vocalize
Declaring the facility "dead" during a joint inspection conducted alongside Governor Gladys Wanga, a displeased CS Mugaa made his dissatisfaction known, taking the opportunity to school the people gathered about the intricate dynamics of such a sensitive project.
The visit was part of the launch of the Oyugis and Kendu Bay Last Mile Connectivity, bringing together national and county government officials to assess progress under the Intergovernmental Coordination Framework for water service delivery.
During the inspection, Mugaa identified critical failures in the water treatment process, telling those present that the facility's sand filters had become so clogged they were incapable of cleaning any water.
He pointed out that the filters had not had their sand replaced since the plant was first commissioned, a situation he described as unacceptable.
"This is clogged. It can't filter anything," Mugaa said, directing his remarks at the engineers present.
He added that the water was being filtered at one point only to become contaminated again further down the system, rendering the entire process ineffective.
The CS also criticised the way the facility was managed in wet weather, telling engineers they were adding the wrong quantities of chemicals relative to turbidity levels when it rained.
"This is dead. They've never changed the sand. Have you ever changed the sand since the installation? Engineer, this is wrong. Any engineer will tell you this is wrong," he said bluntly.
Mugaa told Wanga to bring in a more experienced operator immediately.
"How many filters are there? These filters have a problem, and it has been barely two years. Governor, get an experienced operator. I'm telling you, you will kill this. This is dead; you see, this thing has never been backwashed. They have never changed the sand since it was commissioned," he said, before calling on a technical official named Agwanda to step in and provide hands-on support to the facility's staff.
He recommended that a qualified engineer spend at least one week on-site training the team before the plant's condition deteriorated beyond recovery.
Governor Wanga, who was present throughout the inspection, questioned her team directly about why parts of the facility had ceased functioning.
She subsequently warned that if the problems went unresolved, Homa Bay County stood to lose 12 million litres of water and risked igniting a conflict with residents of Oyugis over water access.
Mugaa, who acknowledged that Wanga may not have been well-versed on the technical details, said he would not ignore what he had observed.
His no-nonsense dress-down quickly became a topic on X, with Kenyans commending him for his thorough knowledge of matters in his field, and others even rushing to LinkedIn to unearth his academic credentials - which, many agreed, were faultlessly impeccable.
His LinkedIn bio reads: "Skilled in Water and Wastewater Design, Construction, AutoCAD Civil 3D, EPANET & KY PIPE Hydraulic Modelling Software and Water Resource Management. An engineering professional with a Master of Science (MSc) in Water Resources Engineering from the University of Nairobi."
X user Jeniffer Wanjiku said: "Think about how absurd that is. How does a government project reach the finish line without meaningful oversight from the ministry of water and sanitation? If proper supervision had been done from the start, there would be nothing to "call out" at the commissioning."
The inspection underscored the need for closer coordination between national and county governments on infrastructure management, particularly where major public utilities are concerned.
Reporting originally appeared via Citizen Digital. Read the full source for additional context.