Staff at Mombasa Water have written an open letter to President William Ruto requesting immediate intervention and support for the planned takeover of the utility by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB).
The workers, who are directly involved in day-to-day field operations such as trench digging, pipe repair, and sewer line maintenance, are calling for national leadership to act before the company becomes completely dysfunctional. Staff at Mombasa Water say the utility is collapsing and want national government to allow WASREB to take full control of operations.
The workers claim that the management of Mombasa Water has failed for years under the watch of the county government.
In their letter, they have expressed support for the proposal by WASREB, announced during the recent Kenya Water Conference, to assume control of the utility.
The employees say this proposal is the only positive development they have heard in a long time, and they want it to begin without delay.
The Senate had previously taken notice of the deterioration at Mombasa Water, issuing several reports in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Despite those efforts, the staff say the county executive ignored the recommendations.
A 2024 Senate report declared the utility financially distressed, but no reforms followed.
The workers believe this inaction has contributed to the deepening dysfunction at the company.
Auditor General reports over three consecutive years have pointed to major financial losses, where projects have either stalled or failed entirely, even after payment.
The employees say millions of shillings vanish without explanation and no accountability follows.
They feel helpless as they continue to serve the public while the financial foundations of the company collapse from within.
In their letter, the staff have also questioned the impact of nearly one billion shillings provided through World Bank-supported water and sanitation programs.
According to the employees, most of these projects are either incomplete, poorly executed, or simply not working, even after contractors were paid.
They have described daily challenges in trying to maintain public infrastructure that was supposed to be improved through these funds.
Another critical point raised is the absence of key leadership positions within the utility.
For over three years, the roles of General Manager for Finance, Engineering, Human Resources, Procurement, and Commercial operations have remained unfilled.
The workers claim the board and the office of the governor are fully aware of these gaps but have taken no action, worsening operational delays and staff frustration.
They say WASREB should be granted authority to appoint competent professionals to these posts immediately.
Allegations of deep-rooted corruption are also included in the petition.
The employees state that complaints have been submitted to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and hearings held by the Senate, but no corrective measures have been taken.
This, they say, has normalized misconduct at the management level.
The letter concludes with a collective request to the president, urging him to grant WASREB full authority to manage Mombasa Water.
According to the workers, service delivery has collapsed, revenue collection has dropped, and morale among employees continues to sink.
They also mention worsening tribalism and favoritism, which they believe has increased internal division and slowed progress.
The staff insist that the takeover by WASREB is no longer optional but necessary for survival.
A copy of the letter has been sent to the Head of Public Service, Cabinet Secretary for Water, Principal Secretaries for Water and Irrigation, the Chairman of WASREB, and the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission.
Below is the full open letter from the staff of Mombasa Water addressed to President William Ruto. View document