KAKAMEGA RESIDENTS BLAST GOVERNOR BARASA OVER WEEK-LONG WATER CRISIS, LONG FOR OPARANYA’S ERA

Residents of Shikhambi–Makutano in Kakamega County have gone for an entire week without water following stalled plumbing repairs by contractor Kevin Chekai, sparking outrage against Governor Fernandes Barasa’s administration.

The prolonged outage has disrupted households, schools, and businesses, forcing residents to buy water at high costs or rely on unsafe sources. Many blame both the contractor and the county government for neglect and incompetence.

“For seven days, we have been left to suffer without water. Kevin Chekai abandoned the work halfway, and the county has done nothing to help us. Governor Barasa must take responsibility,” said one angry resident.

The situation has also triggered nostalgia for former Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who residents say managed service delivery more efficiently.

“During Oparanya’s leadership, this kind of negligence was unheard of. Projects were completed, contractors were monitored, and residents were never left to struggle for weeks without basic needs. Barasa’s government is sleeping on the job,” said a community elder.

Local youth leaders warned that Barasa risks losing public trust if such crises persist. “If he cannot supervise a simple plumbing repair, how can he manage bigger county projects? Kakamega deserves leadership that works for the people,” one youth representative noted.

Residents are now appealing directly to Governor Barasa to urgently intervene, compel the contractor to finish the stalled repairs, and enforce stricter accountability measures.

As the water shortage enters its second week, frustration is mounting, with many residents openly declaring that Barasa’s administration falls short of the standards set by Oparanya.

At the time of publishing, neither Governor Barasa’s office nor contractor Kevin Chekai had issued a formal response.