A self help group has repossessed a water kiosk from a few individuals' management who had allegedly run it as personal property for personal interests.
Members of Twende Mbele Self Help Group based in Jua Kali Slum, Athi River on Saturday took over the water kiosk from its secretary Leonard Zambia who had been in charge of its operation for the last two and half years.
The 12 members stormed the secretary's house in Makadara estate within the town and demanded he surrendered all the legal documents with information related to the kiosk.
According to John Munene, the group's Chairman who addressed press at the kiosk few minutes after repossessing it, disclosed that the secretary had earlier shortchanged 12 of the group's members and worked with only two individuals whom he had imposed to run the kiosk.
Munene said that the kiosk (NO. 10) which was a donation to provide clean water to the area residents and support the group members.
"This kiosk was among other several ones that were donated to the community through groups by the Mavoko Water and Sewerage Company, European Union, German government and government of Kenya to provide clean water and earn members livelihoods," said Munene.
He accused the secretary and said members of swindling money they collected from the kiosk for the last two and half years estimating the figure to be approximately Sh700,000.
According to Munene, the secretary had taken away and kept in his house the group's registration certificate making its annual renewal difficult.
The group members also repossessed the certificate and forced the secretary to pay all charges pending for its update to enable them use it to apply for financial assistance from various institutions.
Zambia said that the members had misunderstood him leading to what he termed as mistreatment by members storming his house.
Zambia said he took over the project after he had realised that most of members of the group had lost interest and could neither take full responsibility nor participate in running the kiosk.
He said he had no bad blood relations with the members and wished them well in running the project, he however dismissed that he had collected the said money as water sales from the kiosk over the period he managed it.