On October 10, 2016, NASA leader Raila Odinga termed the Sh6.8 billion Jubilee water project in Murang'a a 'tunnel of death".
Odinga warned against the construction of Sh6.8 billion Northern Water Collector Tunnel designed to address chronic water shortage in Nairobi and its environs, citing conservation concerns.
In his advice, Odinga urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to stop the World-bank funded project until a comprehensive environmental impact assessment was done.
"The secrecy surrounding this project is by design. Even the Jubilee Government knows it is a bad project. It will turn Murang'a, Garissa, Ukambani and Tana Delta regions into a desert within five years of implementation," said Raila.
However, the then water cabinet secretary Eugene Wamalwa, National assembly majority leader Aden Duale, and government spokesperson Mr Erick Kiraithe dismissed Odinga telling him that he is the architect of the project and was just keen to sabotage the project that was aimed at giving Nairobi residents an additional 140 million liters of water, hence the government declared it will continue with the project.
Barely a year into the project, a section of Murang'a residents have come out crying over facing acute drought and a shortage of water.
The locals in the county are now pleading with their leaders to urge President Uhuru Kenyatta to provide them with water or they will block the commissioning of the tunnel.