How taxpayer risks billions pumped into reviving stalled projects if deal aborts again


Umaa dam in KITUI

Taxpayers’ money may go to waste again if the government plans to revive stalled dams aborts.

The Umaa and Badassa dams which gobbled up Sh3.342 billion of taxpayer funds before they stalled without storing a cubic metre of water are back from the dead.

Over six years after stalling, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation plans to pump more billions into reviving the projects.

The projects fall under the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority, previously known as the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation (NWCPC), the parastatal that implements water conservation projects on behalf of the Water ministry.

Both the ministry and the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority were cagey on the amounts that will be spent to complete the works.

However, it was established that the government has injected Sh380,844,235 to consultancy services for revival of the two projects.

As the plans continue, those accused of embezzling funds meant for the projects have never been brought to justice to date despite numerous investigations being conducted in efforts to “unearth the faces who ate money meant for the dams.”

Instead of facing justice for squandering public funds in projects that bore no fruits, some of the officials fingered out for being responsible for the grounding of the projects still hold senior positions in government while others won elective seats in the last General Election.

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