Kilifi County’s water utilities have come under intense scrutiny as senators probe rising financial instability and excessive water losses, with fears that residents could face service interruptions if corrective action is delayed.
The Senate Committee on County Public Investments and Special Funds summoned Governor Gideon Mung’aro and senior officials to account for audit findings covering multiple county entities.
The review examined Kilifi, Malindi, Mariakani, Mtwapa, and Watamu municipalities, as well as Kilifi Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company and Malindi Water and Sewerage Company.
While initial discussions focused on governance gaps and financial mismanagement across municipal operations, the committee turned its attention to the water companies, which audits showed were struggling with operational failures and mounting debt.
At Malindi Water and Sewerage Company, non-revenue water rose sharply from 16 per cent in the previous year to 42 per cent in 2024/2025. Committee chair Godfrey Osotsi pressed officials for explanations about how such a large increase could happen without accountability measures in place.
“A jump of this magnitude is not normal. It raises a serious question about whether water is being lost through leaks, theft or deliberate manipulation,” he said.
The Auditor General’s report confirmed that both Malindi Water and Sewerage Company and Kilifi Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company were technically insolvent, creating uncertainty over their ability to continue operations without intervention.
Senators questioned why the county continued to allocate funds to entities failing basic financial sustainability checks, warning that continued losses could worsen the financial strain and threaten water supply.
“You cannot tell us you are insolvent and at the same time claim everything is under control. That contradiction is exactly what worries this Committee,” said Nominated Senator Raphael Chimera. He added that the escalating non-revenue water was steadily draining the companies’ resources.
Governor Mung’aro acknowledged the difficulties flagged in the audit and asked for time to implement corrective measures.
“We have put turnaround strategies in place to reduce non-revenue water and return these companies to profitability,” he said, without providing a timeline or expected costs.
Senator Osotsi expressed continued skepticism over the county’s plans.
“I hope it’s not a strategy. Until you tell us how much is lost, who is responsible, and when it will stop, this Committee remains unconvinced,” he said.
The Kilifi review is part of a wider Senate audit of county water firms struggling with governance failures and financial mismanagement. The hearing came just hours after Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya faced similar questioning over water billing and general management, reflecting a national push for greater accountability in county utilities.
