Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga was put on the spot during an inspection of the Oyugis Water Supply Project after Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Mugaa raised concerns over how the facility is being operated and maintained.
Mugaa questioned the condition of the water treatment system and the technical capacity of the team responsible for running the facility. His concerns focused on whether the plant was being properly managed to ensure residents receive safe and reliable water.
The CS was inspecting the project after being invited by Governor Wanga when he pointed out several problems at the treatment plant.
Among the issues he raised were clogged filters and questions about whether the equipment was receiving the required maintenance.
Mugaa said the sand filters needed proper backwashing and replacement.
He also questioned the level of technical expertise available at the facility, suggesting that the plant needed stronger professional supervision.
The concerns were significant because poor management of a treatment system can affect the quality of water supplied to residents.
Mugaa warned that water could pass through one stage of treatment and later become contaminated again if the different parts of the system were not properly managed.
The Cabinet Secretary called for an experienced engineer to be brought in to oversee the facility and train the existing technical team.
His intervention placed fresh attention on the county administration and its responsibility to ensure that the infrastructure delivers the service it was designed to provide.
The exchange happened in the presence of Governor Wanga, who had invited Mugaa to inspect the project.
The inspection has now raised questions over the level of technical supervision being provided at a facility that was commissioned only two years ago.
The Oyugis Water Supply Project was commissioned in August 2024 and was designed to produce 12,300 cubic metres of water every day.
It is expected to serve Oyugis and surrounding areas and benefit nearly 120,000 people by 2040.The project represents a major investment in improving access to clean and reliable water in the region.
That makes the concerns raised by Mugaa more important, especially for residents who expect the facility to operate efficiently after the investment made in it.
The project has received hundreds of millions of shillings in funding. An earlier Auditor General report also raised concerns over a Ksh72.6 million variation involving the Oyugis Water Supply and Sanitation Project.
The matter was, however, recorded as resolved.
The latest concerns are different. Mugaa’s inspection focused mainly on the condition of the treatment plant, maintenance of equipment and the technical capacity of those operating the facility.
The inspection did not establish that funds had been stolen.For residents, the central issue is whether the project can consistently provide safe water as promised.
A modern water treatment facility cannot deliver its intended benefits if critical equipment is poorly maintained or if the people operating it lack the required technical support.
The Water Works Development Agency had indicated that the project would improve access to potable water in Oyugis and surrounding communities.
It was also expected to reactivate hundreds of existing water connections.
Mugaa’s intervention has therefore placed the Homa Bay administration under pressure to address the technical concerns raised during the inspection. The county will now face questions over maintenance, supervision and the measures in place to protect the quality of water reaching residents.
For Governor Wanga, the inspection has brought the management of one of the county’s major water projects into sharper focus.
Residents will be watching to see whether the concerns raised by the Cabinet Secretary lead to practical improvements at the facility and whether the project delivers the reliable and safe water services it was established to provide.
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