An acute water shortage has hit Kericho town and its environs as Kericho Water and Sanitation company employees down tools over delayed salaries.

The employees have not been paid for 17 months, with residents expressing fear of possible disease outbreak as a result of the scarcity.

The Workers Representative Tom Ober says many of the employees have been evicted from their rented houses, with their children missing school due to lack of fees.

“We have not received salaries for 17 months now. This problem has caused some of us to be kicked out of our houses. We are also unable to pay our children’s fee,” he lamented.

Ober appealed for the intervention of Governor Erick Mutai, further vowing that they will not return to work until salaries are paid in full.

“We are now appealing for the urgent intervention of Governor Erick Mutai. How do you expect somebody to offer services yet he or she has not been paid? The only way to end this strike is by KEWASCO paying our salaries in full,” added Ober.

Residents on their part want the problem urgently addressed, saying it was illogical for the problem to persist yet they have been their bills.

In a statement, KEWASCO attributed the delay to nonpayment of bills amounting to millions of shillings by customers, who include the county Government, which it owes sh 150 million.

This as the devolved unit is set to receive a grant of sh 2.3 billion from the German Government for the expansion of water projects in a bid to address the rising water demand in the county.

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