The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee has ordered a special audit of Ksh1.9 billion the Irrigation department spent in the construction of small dams and water pans across the country.
In a report by the Business Daily on Thursday, January 2, the committee through its chairperson Opiyo Wandayi found that during its field visits, most of the dams and water pans were incomplete.
Wandayi further indicated that original designs had been altered while other dams were dilapidated and not in use.
“The committee recommends that within three months upon adoption of this report, the Auditor-General undertakes a special audit on the viability and value for money in the construction,” remarked Wandayi.
In a report tabled in the National Assembly in December 2019, the committee indicated that it could not ascertain the value for money in some of the projects that the Irrigation department tender for construction in the financial year 2016/17 and 2017/18.
“The committee observed that some of the sampled projects were not complete in terms of percentage as stated by the State department.”
“This includes Sirata water pan in Samburu County, Chasimba small dam in Kilifi County, Baragoni water pan in Lamu County, Mutune water pan and Mwanduru small dam in Kwale County,” Wandayi indicated in the report.
Appearing before the committee in May 2019, then Principal Secretary Harun Kiptoon Segor who was later moved to the Tourism Ministry stated that the amount was meant for 84 water projects under Phase 1.
“During this period, eight water pans/small dams and 16 boreholes had challenges due to capacity of contractors, dry boreholes or insufficient public land. The same have been proposed for re-advertisement,” remarked Segor.
In December 2019, Water Cabinet Secretary Chelugui was grilled by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to answer questions of loss of funds meant for construction of Itare dam.
The dam has been at the heart of controversy after stalling for months especially after CMC Di Ravenna, the main contractor, filed for bankruptcy late in 2019.
Further reports also indicated that the dam had already received Ksh11 billion since construction began in April 2017 but now remains an incomplete project.
