A section of leaders in the Rift Valley region have appealed to President-elect William Ruto to personally intervene and restart construction of the stalled Itare, Kimwarer and Arror dams, should he be confirmed as President.
Kericho Governor Erick Mutai, his Bomet counterpart Prof Hillary Barchok, Chama Cha Mashinani party leader Isaac Ruto and Bomet Senator-elect Hillary Sigei also called for the revival of other stalled projects and initiation of new ones.
Joining in the calls were Nakuru MPs-elect Joseph Tonui (Kuresoi South), Kuria Kimani (Molo), Charity Kathambi (Njoro), David Gikaria (Nakuru East) and Alfred Mutai (Kuresoi North).
The politicians said reviving the dams is crucial to ending perennial water challenges in the region. Their construction, they claimed, was derailed because of politics.
“These projects will help residents get water for their livestock, irrigation and generation of electricity so that this region can progress,” Mr Tonui said, adding, that Nakuru City’s population is rising steadily and the people need more water.
“Itare dam will supply water to Nakuru, Molo, Njoro, Elburgon, Rongai and parts of Kuresoi,” he said, hence the importance of its completion.
The dam that was coming up in Ndoinet, Kuresoi, stalled after it was rocked by graft allegations.
The Sh38 billion dam, meant to serve a million people in Nakuru, Kericho and Baringo counties, was further compromised after the Italian firm undertaking its construction filed for bankruptcy.
The company, Muratori and Cementisti of Ravenna, filed for bankruptcy in a court in Italy.
The contracts for Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo-Marakwet County were also cancelled by President Uhuru Kenyatta in September 2019 after they were also hit by graft claims.
Governor Mutai said the government had sidelined the region in the implementation of development projects.
“Top on our agenda is the Bosto water project, the proposed Kipkelion Referral Hospital and the stalled road projects in Kericho and Bomet counties that were meant to benefit the people but [were] scuttled by President Kenyatta’s administration,” he said.
Speaking after paying a courtesy call on Mr Ruto, the former Bomet Governor who is recuperating after being discharged from a Nairobi hospital, the leaders expressed confidence that Dr Ruto will eventually be sworn in to succeed President Kenyatta.
The Bosto water project in Mau Forest, whose projected cost was Sh22 billion, and which was supposed to supply piped water to Bomet County, was suspended six years ago, despite the conclusion of feasibility studies.
Despite repeated assurances after the 2017 elections by President Kenyatta and his deputy Ruto that the project would be implemented, it remains an unfulfilled pledge as the curtains fall on the Jubilee administration.
The Kericho County Government has set aside 100 acres to build a referral hospital in Kipkelion East.
The 75-kilometre Tenwek-Merigi-Tegat-Chemaner, as well as the Chemaner-Kembu-Longisa and Kembu-Mulot roads in Bomet East Constituency, were suspended nine months ago due to lack of funds.
The 37-kilometre Kyogong-Sigor-Chebunyo road and the Longisa-Lelaitich-Sigor road connecting Chepalungu and Bomet East constituencies also stalled following the government’s failure to release funds to a Chinese contractor that was awarded the tender.
“We have struggled to have a government and we are hopeful that Dr Ruto will be sworn in as the fifth President. The onus is on us to roll out new development projects, complete the existing ones and revive the ones that are stalled” Dr Mutai said.
“It is time for leaders across the country to come together and seek to build the economy, eradicate poverty, create employment opportunities, fix the health sector and ensure the shilling is strong and money circulates among the people,” Mr Ruto said.
The former Council of Governors chairman said leaders and civil servants should not waste time with trivialities but seek to fix the country’s problems.
“We need to focus on providing subsidies to farmers in the country so as to produce enough for local consumption and export. It is a shame that we still have some pockets in the country where people are dying of starvation and have to depend on food rations,” Mr Ruto said.
Prof Barchok urged both winners and the losers in the just-concluded elections to join hands and work for taxpayers who deserve services from them.
“As leaders, we have sat down and agreed that we will work closely together, consult on issues that affect the people and seek to take the country to the next level of development. We have no time for back-biting or backstabbing as we have an agenda to deliver,” Prof Barchok said.
He said poverty will only be addressed if leaders across the political divide agree to unite and work together.
