Nairobi — The proposal to merge water service companies in Coast Province to form only two came under heavy criticism during a critical shareholders' meeting held on Thursday.

The merger, which was touted as being aimed at boosting efficiency in service delivery, was criticised by local authorities who accused the ministry of Water and Irrigation of contributing to the failure of the firms.

Leaders questioned the rationale of merging the companies when the teething problems that led to poor performance had not been addressed.

Taveta Town Council chairman Hussein Kihara said the companies had failed to perform well because the ministry sidelined political leaders.

And in a related development, the board managing the Malindi Water and Sewerage Company, which is ranked among the best managed companies in the country, insisted on the autonomy of the firm to sustain its performance.

Although not opposing the proposal by the government, company chairman David Randu expressed fears that lumping their company with non-performers will jeopardise its chances of progressing.

In the proposed arrangement, the Mombasa Water and Sewerage Company will be merged with the Kwale and Taita Taveta to form the South Coast Water and Sewerage Company.

Companies from Malindi, Tana River and Lamu will form the North Coast Water and Sewerage Company.

Mombasa Town Clerk Tubmun Otieno said the plans to reform the water sector were noble but the problem lay in implementation.