Kalonzo offers free legal service in effort to stop Itare dam project

Wiper Democratic Movement leader Kalonzo Musyoka has offered free legal service to Kipsigis elders seeking to halt the Itare dam project.

Mr Musyoka has join his Coalition for Reforms and Democracy co-principal Raila Odinga in his effort to stop the construction of the dam.

The Kipsigis Council of Elders moved to court on September 17 to stop the building of the Sh38 billion dam in Ndoinet in Kuresoi North, Nakuru.

The Environment and Land Court declined to issue conservatory orders sought by the elders.

Kipsigis Council of Elders chairman Edwin Kimeto on Wednesday said the fight to stop the project would not stop.

During a press briefing at a Narok hotel, Mr Kimeto and Bishop Stephen Musili of the Kamba Council of Elders insisted that the 57-metre-high dam, expected to produce 100,000 cubic metres of water a day, would reduce volumes of water in rivers traversing Narok, Bomet, Kericho, Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu, Homa Bay and Migori counties.

ITALIAN GOVERNMENT

The dam, whose construction is funded by the Italian government, is expected to supply more than 800,000 residents of Kuresoi, Molo, Njoro, Rongai, Nakuru Town and neighbouring Kericho with clean water.

The project is the largest of its kind in the South Rift after the Sh5.5 billion Chemususu dam, which President Kenyatta commissioned earlier last year.

The elders announced that rallies would be held in the affected areas of Bomet and Kericho, from February 7. Later, a meeting with elders from Narok, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Homa Bay, Kisumu and Siaya counties would be called.

The press briefing convened by Mr Musyoka’s press team was a follow-up of a three day seminar by Kamba and Kalenjin elders.