President Uhuru Kenyatta’s revocation of the planned development of the Kimwarer multipurpose dam valued at Sh22.2 billion is not a surprise at all, Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen has said.
In a tweet, Murkomen said that the cancellation was expected considering the recent twist of events in the country.
The cancellation came after Uhuru met a team tasked with project development led Prof Paul Maringa, Principal Secretary.
Other members were Principal Secretary for Interior and National Coordination Dr Karanja Kibichio and Principal Secretary for Water Joseph Irungu.
The team declared that the project was overpriced hence no need to continue with the same.
Murkomen also alluded that from the look of the names of the panel it was clear that the project was set for cancellation.
The senator also divulged that Uhuru has been misled by the team, which he said does'nt show ethnic balance
“Planned Cancellation of Kimwarer & restructuring of Arror dams doesn’t surprise me at all. The plan all along was to kill the projects.
The composition of the technical committee doesnt reflect ethnic regional balance. Maringa, Matu, Mwangi &Muiruri have sadly misled the President,” he said.
Uhuru said that the feasibility test showed no reason to proceed with the project.
The head of state affirmed that he was not ready to support a project in which funds are likely to be stolen.
“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,” a statement dispatched by State House Spokesperson Kanze Dena on Wednesday read.
The move comes after Uhuru fires Treasury CS Henry and his PS Kamau Thugge over the Arror and Kimwarer dam projects.