The State has reallocated Sh1.2 billion to revive and complete the Umaa Dam water project which stalled during Charity Ngilu’s tenure as the Minister for Water.
The multi-million project in Kitui Central Constituency stalled halfway six years ago following a stand-off between the government and the contractor as well as alleged massive inflation of costs.
Addressing the press when he led a team of engineers on a site visit yesterday, National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation (NWCPC) chief engineer Benjamin Kiema said constructions of the dam will resume in April.
“We have inspected the structures already in place besides assessing the quality of building materials and established that most are okay even after a lengthy state of neglect,” he noted.
Mr Kiema said necessary consultations have been made between the NWCPC, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Water, and the contractor to pave way for completions of the dam so that residents can eventually benefit from a reliable water supply.
Construction of the 870,000 cubic metres capacity dam which begun in 2009 under Ngilu’s stewardship, stalled after the contractor disagreed with the parastatal over payment.
The parastatal was consequently locked in arbitration with the contractor, Draft & Develop Engineers, after the latter moved to court seeking to be paid an additional Sh97 million for work completed.
The total cost had inexplicably increased by Sh600 million due to alleged presentation of fictitious bills by the contractor that led to inflation of the project costs.
Ms Ngilu accused her rivals of conspiring with the contractor and a former Assistant Minister Mwangi Kiunjuri to sabotage the multi-million project.
She claimed the cost of the project was astronomically inflated to make her appear corrupt.
NWCPC’s project engineer Boniface Mulama said the initial projected budget for Umaa dam, which is fed by River Nzeu, was Sh824 million but Sh485 million had been spent by the time the project ground to a halt.
Kitui Water and Agriculture Executive Charles Kang’e said the news came as a huge relief to the residents whom he said have been grappling with water shortages.
“Kitui Town and environs relies on Masinga dam for water but the supply is limited. Completion of Umaa dam will turn the situation around as there will be plenty water to serve thousands of residents in the urban centre and beyond,” he said.
Mr Kang’e welcomed the State’s decision to have the project completed saying the county administration has been petitioning lobbying for revival of the water scheme so as to mitigate perennial water problems in the area.