“Thank you very much for your intervention, Nzoia Water Services Company has reconnected water supply to my home, my tenants and the entire Lower Mewa area,” these were the words of Toili Khisa, a beneficiary of the Ombudsman services.
Mr. Khisa had complained that Nzoia Water Services Company (NZOWASCO)had issued him with an excessive bill that deviated from his consumption trends, prompting him to lodge a formal complaint with the company but instead of the billing issue being addressed, the company threatened him with disconnection if he failed to settle the inflated bill.
In July 2019, the area was not supplied with water but the company still billed him Ksh 2, 000 which led to him lodging a second complaint with the company but the complaint was dismissed. On Monday, 31st September 2019, the company went ahead and disconnected his water supply forcing him to highlight his predicament on his Facebook page, a move that did not go well with the company staff. The NZOWASCO staff went back to his compound on Wednesday, 2nd October 2019, and dismantled his water meter and disconnected a different meter which was serving his tenants.
The actions of the water utility firm staff not only affected Khisa’s tenants but the residents of Lower Mewa area who depended on the same pipe for water supply, hence infringing on their right to access clean and safe water. The continuous frustration by the company and untold suffering of his tenants and the residents of the area forced Mr. Khisa to highlight his predicament through social media.
The Commission promptly took up the issue on 8th October 2019 with the Managing Director NZOWASCO who personally reached out to Mr. Khisa, leading to the resolution of the billing issue and the restoration of water supply to him, his tenants and the larger Lower Mewa area.
