Renowned lawyer and political commentator Steve Ogolla has weighed in on the petition filed by residents of Elgeyo Marakwet after President Uhuru Kenyatta cancelled the Kimwarer dam project.
The residents have filed their petition it the Senate
In a tweet on Thursday night, the lawyer advised that only the head of state can reverse his cancellation of the project.
"THE PRESIDENT'S decision to cancel Kimwarer Dam Project cannot be reversed through Senate hearings, a fact well known to the Senate. If people want Kimwarer reinstated, they'd have to make a direct moral appeal to the President. Let's be honest with each other," wrote Ogolla.
In their petition on Thursday, the residents noted that it was a denial of their rights by cancelling the project.
“The decision to establish an ad-hoc technical committee to investigate only two projects out of hundreds of projects across the country, and to use the results of that investigation to deny the people of Elgeyo Marakwet County their rightful share of national development amounts to gross violation of the Constitution," part of the petition read.
Through their Senator and Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen, the residents tabled their petition before the Senate.
They want Uhuru's order lifted until their petition is heard and determined.
Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta received a report from the technical committee which cited that it was not financially viable to construct the Sh22.2 billion dam.