A section of Mwingi residents has opposed remarks by Mwingi Central MP Gideon Mulyungi threatening to have a local NGO leave the area over its ongoing borehole drilling projects.

The MP had accused the organisation of failing to involve him in the water projects and challenged it to either engage local leadership or take the boreholes back to Canada.

However, residents have rejected the move, saying Mwingi remains a water-stressed area and urgently needs such interventions to address the challenges facing communities.

The NGO has been drilling boreholes across the constituency as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of drought.

Residents say the projects have come at a time when many families are forced to trek for several kilometres in search of water, especially during the current dry season.

They have called on the government to intervene and ensure the organisation continues with its work, noting that access to water remains a critical need for thousands of households in the region.