Nakuru leaders urge Uhuru to revive building of Itare dam
The stalled multi-billion shillings Itare dam project in Kuresoi North, Nakuru County. Governor Lee Kinyanjui and other leaders from the region have urged President Kenyatta to ensure the project is revived and completed.
Leaders from Nakuru County have appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to personally intervene to revive construction of the stalled multi-million-shilling Itare dam in Kuresoi.
Led by Governor Lee Kinyanjui, the politicians want the national government to swiftly resolve the stalemate surrounding construction of the dam to facilitate its completion.
"I want to appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene and ensure construction of Itare dam resumes. The population of Nakuru has been rising steadily and the people need more water," said Mr Kinyanjui who spoke on Monday afternoon during the swearing-in of two county executive members at his offices in Milimani.
During the event, Reuben Maritim and Jackline Mongina were sworn in as county executive members for Roads and Public Service,Training and Devolution respectively.
County Public Service Board Chairman Charles Kimiri and a member, Samson Komen, also took oath of office.
Completion crucial
"Itare dam will supply water to Nakuru town, Molo, Njoro town, Elburgon, Rongai and parts of Kuresoi. Therefore, its completion is crucial to the region. Nakuru town will soon become a city and that will mean a high demand for water," said the county boss.
Other leaders who want quick action to safeguard construction of the dam include three Members of Parliament — Samuel Arama (Nakuru Town West), Gideon Keter (Nominated), Joseph Tonui (Kuresoi South) — and National Assembly Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi who is also the MP for Kuresoi North.
Mr Arama said that to end the water woes facing residents of Nakuru town, construction of the dam must resume and be fast-tracked.
“Completion of construction of Itare dam will be very important for Nakuru town residents. Once the town earns a city status, the amount of water required will shoot up, so l am appealing to the President to ensure construction [resumes] as soon as possible,” he told the Nation.
Sub-contract remaining work
Mr Keter asked the national government to sub-contract the remaining works to another firm to ensure the project is completed.
"Completion of Itare dam is very important for Nakuru and other surrounding counties. l urge the national government to fast-track the process of ending the stand-off surrounding the construction to pave way for its completion,” said Mr Keter.
The leaders argued that stalling of the dam project will greatly affect the progress of Nakuru which is close to attaining a city status.
The Sh38 billion dam, which was meant to serve a population of one million people in Kuresoi, Molo, Njoro, Rongai and Nakuru town and Kericho and Baringo counties, stalled after the company undertaking its construction filed for bankruptcy.
The Italian company, CMC di Ravenna, which was building the dam, filed for bankruptcy in a court in Italy.
Jubilee flagship project
The dam is a flagship Jubilee administration’s water supply project under Vision 2030.
It is also at the centre of corruption investigations.
The DCI is investigating three Cabinet Secretaries and three principal secretaries over the multi-billion-shilling dam scandal.
Also on the DCI radar is the Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency.
Others who are targeted in the probe are senior officials in the ministries of Water and Environment.
Itare dam, whose construction began in June 2016, was billed as the largest of its kind undertaken in the South Rift region after the Sh5.5 billion Chemususu dam in Baringo County.
It was to be completed this year.
