The government has been challenged to do small manageable water projects which will require less funding but benefit many residents.
The Anglican Archbishop, Jackson Ole Sapit said some of the earmarked big water projects require a lot of money and causes displacement communities thus the need to engage in numerous small projects which will take short time to complete.
The big projects like mega dams, the Archbishop noted are being implemented with borrowed money which at some stages is being misappropriated by greedy individuals.
Speaking when he consecrated St. Paul’s Kiaguthu ACK Church on Sunday, Sapit noted that water pans, boreholes among other small projects can as well provide water to thousands of people.
“These big projects need a lot of funding; the financing of the projects also give loopholes for people to steal the borrowed money. Let the government first embark on projects it can itself finance,” added the Archbishop.
Sapit observed that the country was heading in the wrong direction following claims that billions of shillings allocated for mega projects are misappropriated by officers charged with responsibility to guard the same.
The Archbishop spoke as he also commissioned a community borehole at Kiaguthu Boys School which was funded by Athi Water Services Board.
“It’s worrying to hear big scandals on daily basis. It is like borrowed money is being misappropriated before the planned projects are implemented,” he further noted.
Speaking during the same occasion, Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary, Joseph Irungu refuted claims that money earmarked for some water projects was embezzled.
He said his ministry is only entrusted to implement Itare dam, saying no single cent has been lost.
“Some of dams implicated with corruption are not under the ministry of water and we are giving a proposal to have all dams under management of the water ministry,” he added.
During the service MPs, Oku Kaunya ( Teso North ), Ndindi Nyoro ( Kiharu) and Ngugi Nduati (Gatanga) spoke tough on conditions set by the government to ensure projects are completed within schedule.
Nduati said the government should concentrate on projects that have value for the residents as he blamed the authorities who gave out Sh. 7 billion advance to a contractor working on some of the dams.
“Local contractors are given an advance of Sh. 500, 000. Who authorized for release of Sh.7 billion to a contractor who has so far done nothing,” noted the Gatanga legislator.
Kaunya on his part observed that the country was short of committed leaders who can steer development to reach levels of South Korea.
“For the country to make strides in development there is need to employ South Korea system of selecting leaders who have gone through leadership academy and proved their worth,” said the Teso MP.
By Bernard Munyao
