Mombasa Senator Mohammed Faki has raised concern following a directive by the Water Services Regulatory Board (WASREB) placing the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company under a Special Regulatory Regime.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the Senator described the move as effectively placing the utility under receivership, signaling deep-rooted operational and governance challenges within the county’s water services provider.

According to the notice, WASREB will appoint a Special Management Team to oversee the company’s operations for an initial period of six months. The intervention could be extended depending on whether the situation improves.

Faki confirmed that he has formally written to WASREB seeking clarification on the circumstances that led to the drastic action. He pledged to update the public once he receives a response.

The Senator pointed to findings from audit reports presented before the Senate, which highlight several longstanding issues affecting the company, including:

• High levels of Non-Revenue Water (both physical losses and commercial inefficiencies)
• Absence of a Board of Directors for over a year
• Limited investment by the Mombasa County Government
• Accumulated historical debts
• Recurring management failures

“These challenges have persisted over time and are now manifesting in the current crisis,” Faki noted.

Faki emphasized the need for urgent public discourse on the management of key institutions in Mombasa. He drew parallels with recent challenges at the Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital, suggesting a broader pattern of institutional instability.

“It is time we need a conversation as the people of Mombasa on the management of our institutions,” he said, posing a critical question: “Is it that Mombasa cannot manage its affairs?”

The intervention by WASREB raises broader concerns about governance, accountability, and service delivery in one of Kenya’s major coastal cities. With water services being essential to public health and economic activity, the coming months will be critical in determining whether the Special Management Team can stabilize and reform the troubled utility.

Residents and stakeholders now await further details from WASREB and county leadership on the next steps toward restoring efficient water services in Mombasa.