Machakos Governor Dr Alfred Mutua has warned Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen against defending the multi-billion dams scandal in the country.
This came after Murkomen faulted the governor for defending the Thwake dam project in Makueni and supporting the ongoing investigations into the Arror and Kimwarer dam projects in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Murkomen argued that the ongoing fight against graft in the country was marred by tribalism, adding that the construction of Thwake dam was yet to commence three years after a sum of Sh7 billion had been paid by the government.
He wondered why the project was not under investigation yet a probe had been launched into the Arror and Kimwarer projects after the contractor failed to commence construction works on the dams following an advanced payment of a similar amount.
“This is the site of Thwake Dam in Makueni County where 7.8B advance payment was made 3 years ago. How far is the @DCI Kenya with investigations? We will not allow discrimination as long as we are still in a country called Kenya,” said Murkomen in a tweet.
“Predictably Gov Mutua is defending Thwake Dam (1 Project) which was paid 7.8B advance money 3 yrs before the works commenced while bastardizing Arror & Kimwarer Dams (2 Projects) whose advance amount is 7B. What’s the difference? TRIBALISM. We know the truth & the truth set us free,” he added.
Speaking on Citizen TV's JKL show, Mutua advised Murkomen to comment less on corruption matters, adding that the more the senator defends the two dam projects, the more he will be victimised.
“Senator Kipchumba Murkomen should know that the more he talks about these corruption cases, the more we will question his interest. Corruption must be fought regardless of who is involved and where it happens," said Mutua.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior also joined the conversation, noting that the photo in Murkomen’s tweet was not of the site where the Thwake dam is meant to be constructed. According to Mutula, the Thwake dam site is at the confluence of two rivers, River Athi and Thwake River.