President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of the Kimwarer dam project contract.
The president made the decision based on a report he received from a Technical Committee, which he had formed following the discovery of irregularities and improprieties surrounding two mega infrastructure projects -Kimwarer, and Arror dams.
He, however, ordered the immediate commencement of the implementation of the Arror Multipurpose Dam project with the new design components and cost rationalization plan as developed by a technical committee tasked to review the projects.
The Committee chaired by Principal Secretary for Infrastructure Prof Paul Maringa found out that Kimwarer Dam was overpriced and no current reliable feasibility study had been conducted on the dam project.
“The only feasibility study carried out on a similar project twenty eight (28) years ago had revealed a geological fault across the 800 acre project area, which would have negative structural effects on the proposed dam,” read part of the report.
They also found out more money would be used to compensate the residents as they will have to be moved.
UNSUSTAINABLE
The report also says that the water supply mechanism for the Kimwarer Dam would involve pumping, an aspect the technical committee found to be unsustainable.
Therefore, the committee advised the head of state to discontinue the project.
The committee also reviewed the Arror Multipurpose Dam, which they stated, was economically viable but noted that it was overpriced.
They advocated for a cost rationalization plan, which would ensure that the project was implemented cost-effectively without affecting its performance and output.
“Therefore, the Technical Committee recommended to the President that the Kimwarer Dam project be discontinued” read the report.
“The optimized dam will be technically viable since it will only require about 250 acres of land and cost KShs 15.4 billion with power and Shs 13.1 billion without power. The dam was previously estimated to cost KShs 28.3 billion,” read the report.
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