Investigate Galana Kulalu project, senators demand

 Senators have urged Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu to carry out a forensic audit on the Galana Kulalu irrigation scheme over the alleged embezzlement of billions of shillings allocated to the food security project.

Agriculture Committee chairman Njeru Ndwiga (Embu) raised the matter during the Senate leadership retreat at the Enashipai Resort in Naivasha.

During the meeting, senators demanded to know what the Auditor General is doing about corruption claims at the project.

 “We demand a forensic audit into the Galana Kulalu project. This is a serious project touching on the country's food security,” said senator Ndwiga.

The committee also wants those involved in misappropriation of funds in the project prosecuted.

 “All those officials involved in corruption should be prosecuted for misappropriating billions of shillings in a project meant to address food shortage in the country,” stated Senator Ndwiga.

Ms Gathungu assured senators that the matter is under investigation.

Comprehensive follow-up

 “We had received a request from the Senate Agriculture Committee and we have already launched investigations. We will make a comprehensive follow-up and report,” said Ms Gathungu. Decrying the theft off public funds at the scheme, senators noted that the project was key to food security.

“The project is in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big Four Agenda. It is only proper that a comprehensive forensic audit is conducted to establish the truth,” said Kiambu Senator Kimani Wa Matangi. The senators also want the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI) George Kinoti and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Nordin Hajji to conclude investigations.

In May 2019, a Senate committee probing the Galana-Kulalu model farm project was told how the government spent Sh580 million to clear bushes in the expansive 10,000-acre piece of land which is one of President Kenyatta’s flagship projects.

According to the Senate Agricultural Committee, an Israeli company, Green Arava, complained that those charged with that responsibility did a shoddy job.

The project has stalled for close to five years since it was launched, with the government paying about Sh5 billion to the contractor for facilitation which Kenya risks to loose.

Sh1.2 billion

The project was launched in September 11, 2014 and was scheduled to be completed by March 9, 2017.

Experts say that, if the works are not completed and all required equipment installed, the billions of shillings will go to waste.

The project was expected to be making Sh1.2 billion in maize sales per season, as per projections.

Instead, it has only managed 119,000 90kg bags of maize, worth about Sh273.7 million.

The Galana-Kulalu Food Security Project is being financed by the government and an Israel bank known as Bank Leumi, which provided a loan of Sh6.35 billion towards the scheme on condition that an Israeli firm be picked to start the farm.

In October 2015, the then Cabinet secretary for Water and Irrigation, Eugene Wamalwa, the Israeli minister for agriculture, Uri Ariel, and Israeli ambassador to Kenya, Yahel Vilan, visited the project to witness the first harvest.

The maize crop yield was 8,575 bags of 90kg, translating to 17 bags per acre.

In the second season of planting, September 2015 to January 2016, 500 acres yielded only 3,101 bags of 90kg, translating to six bags per acre. The contractor blamed this poor yield on the El Nino rains.

Between April 2016 and October 2016, Green Arava planted on 2,000 acres of land, managing a harvest of 59,066 bags of maize at 31 bags per acre.