Nandi Governor Cleophas Lagat found himself in an awkward position when he attended the launch of a non existent Sh4.5 Million Chemundu Water Project at Kapkobis village.
When Lagat arrived at the function he was met by the glaring reality of a 1975 tank built during the era of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta - the founding President.
The 40-year-old tank had only been refurbished by a new blue paint, a project that reportedly received an allocation of Sh4.5 Million.
Angry residents, who needed answers on the whereabouts of the County funds, welcomed the Governor but put him to task to explain how the money was spent.
"This water project was completed in 1975. We are surprised the county government now claims it as one of its projects," Simion arap Mutai, a village elder was quoted by the Standard.
According to a rights group, Nandi Transparency, Governor Lagat had been duped on several occasions by senior water officials and Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) in attending other function on ghost projects.
The group's leader Kiprotich Cherargey indicated: "MCAs are colluding with water officials and contractors to defraud the county of hundreds of millions of shillings in non-existent water projects".
Cherargey added that during the launch of one fake project, water was poured into the tank to cheat the governor that the taps were running. The taps however, have remained dry to date.
The Nandi Transparency group has demanded for answers on the usage of County funds.
Lagat promised investigations into the matter asserting that the culprits would be brought to book.
