The Machakos County Development Implementation and Coordination Committee (CDICC) mandated to supervise government development projects has written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) requesting it to investigate several water projects in Machakos County.
A State Committee wants the anti-graft body to investigate the contractors and project supervisors behind shoddy works at several multi-million dams constructed in the county under the National Irrigation Board (NIB).
“It is official. We have written to the EACC in Nairobi and given a copy to their Machakos branch inviting their officials to come and investigate as to why the projects were poorly done,” said Mrs. Esther Maina, the area County Commissioner and Chair of the Committee.
She was speaking during a committee meeting held at her Board Room and attended by among others, the Lower Eastern Presidential Delivery Unit Director who is also the Committee Secretary, Mr. Larry Mulomi.
Also in attendance was the Machakos County Executive (CEC)-In Charge of Water Services, Dr. Naomy Mutie.
Among the dams to be investigated is the Kwa Munyenze dam in Mwala Sub-county costing Sh14.6Million, Mbuuni small dam in Kathiani-Sh13.8m, Kwa Katiwa small dam- Sh13.6m, Kwa Chief in Mavoko- Sh14.4m and Kwa Mwangi, Kangonde in Masinga- Sh14.4m.
According to reports presented by task forces formed by the Committee to evaluate the works on the ground, all the dams were found to be poorly constructed with no value for the amounts allocated.
They were also said to have not benefitted the community since they were not holding substantial water as walls to most of them had collapsed.
Local communities around the dams complained that they were not involved in the planning or construction while some demanded to be compensated for pieces of land on which they are built.
This development comes in the wake of reports of another contractor who was behind a similarly poorly done NIB Mukengesya dam in Matungulu Sub-county was forced by the committee to redo the works as per the original Bill of Quantities.
Unibee Construction Company which was contracted by NIB to construct the dam at a cost of Sh72million was ordered by the CDICC to redo the works.
This was after the Committee visited the site and found that the workmanship was poor and the dam posed a danger to both animals and humans.
It also established that the local community had rejected the project since they were never involved in its planning or construction. The Committee had also severally tried to summon the project engineers and the contractors to come and shed light on the circumstances in vain.
Addressing the members Mrs. Maina reiterated her call to Departmental Heads who are supervising projects to be firm, honest, diligent and patriotic in their supervisory duties.
CC noted that those who collude with unscrupulous contractors to defraud Kenyans will be exposed and fingered for investigations and possible legal action.
She, however, urged officials whose projects have shortcomings to take criticism positively instead of taking offence.
“Don’t take offence if lapses occur in your docket, we are here not to fight one another but to ensure that Kenyans get the best service from the government”, she counseled.
During a meeting the Committee commended Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) for successfully tarmacking the Kimutwa-Makaveti-Kwa Mutisya road.
It noted that the Sh402million project would open up the area which has been inaccessible, especially during the rainy season and accelerate economic growth.
By Justus Keesi
