Water and Irrigation CS Simon Chelugui was on the morning of Wednesday, December 4, summoned to the DCI headquarters for grilling over the Itare Dam scandal.
According to a report published by Citizen Digital, Chelugui arrived at the DCI headquarters shortly after 7 a.m. as the investigations into the loss of billions in the stalled dam project reopened.
The dam was set to be constructed in Nakuru County at a cost of Ksh19 billion but stalled shortly after construction had begun after the government paid Ksh11 billion to the contractor who was declared bankrupt.
According to the ministry, the 57-metre-high dam with 28 million-cubic-metre storage, whose construction started on April 6, 2017, is 43 per cent complete.
Machines were left to rust while abandoned construction materials and equipment lay haphazardly on the grounds guarded by police.
The site that was once filled with activity is now deserted.
The Standard July 29 reported that the stalled project had cost taxpayers Ksh11 billion yet nothing has been achieved on the ground.
It further reported that since August 2018, when employees were asked to go home, no one has contacted him to resume work.
The company contracted to work on the dam was CMC Di Ravenna, the same company that was contracted for the Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo Marakwet.
The CS while appearing before the National Assembly Environment Committee in July stated that CMC Di Ravenna had been declared bankrupt and the project was set for termination.
