The National Youth Service (NYS) which was tasked to complete the Chebara dam water projects which have stalled for the last 12 years has handed over the projects to the state department for housing.
During a visit to the county early this year, the president gave the NYS three months to complete the projects which are in Marakwet West constituency but they were unable to undertake the task due to lack of funding.
According to the area MP Timothy Toroitich, the state will use funds under the housing levy to complete Kaptomut primary school, Chebara boys and Chebara girls’ secondary schools, a polytechnic and a church.
The MP expressed confidence that the projects will be completed as promised by the president and called on the community to support the contractor.
The regional director, state department for housing Richard Tuta assured residents that the projects will be completed within the next three months saying they have the resources and have already identified the contractor therefore nothing will delay them.
The MP recently raised concerns that despite the NYS personnel having camped in the area since January, there was nothing going on something which was raising complaints from the community.
Area governor Wisley Rotich warned the heads of all the institutions involved to be proactive and ensure they offer the necessary supervision of the projects saying it was sad that the projects have remained incomplete due to mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by the previous heads.
“We could not be talking of delay in completion of the projects if the previous heads had done their duty,” he said.
The governor thanked NYS saying despite facing financial challenges, they managed to do the access road and a sewerage tank.
The leaders called on the contractor who was present to ensure that they don’t hire people from outside for works which can be done by locals.
The projects were part of compensation to the residents after donating their land for the construction of Chebara dam which supplies water to Eldoret city.
The government gave Sh635 million for the construction of the 5 institutions but to date they are yet to be completed.
By Alice Wanjiru
