Fresh controversy hits multi-billion shilling Thwake Dam

Former Irrigation Principal Secretary Nduati Mwangi. (Photo: Boniface Okendo, Standard)

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ambition to have construction of the Sh36 billion Thwake Dam fast-tracked is in jeopardy following fresh infighting within the Water Ministry.

Only days after Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA) instructed the ministry to execute the procurement process of the dam within 14 days, details are emerging that two senior officers are planning its collapse.

The construction of the dam has been a controversy within and it is believed to have pushed out former Irrigation Principal Secretary Nduati Mwangi after he more than twice, defied instructions from his boss Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

A deputy director in the Irrigation Department and another senior officer led the Ministerial Tender Committee (MTC) that evaluated the tender and whose report was set aside by PPOA.

The authority held a meeting with three legislators from the Opposition on Wednesday evening following the ruling.

Trusted friends

Sources close to the meeting held in a city hotel revealed that the discussion revolved around sabotaging the project implementation until after elections.

“The meeting was a usual catching up thing and was not specifically called to discuss the tender. The two officers from the ministry are our trusted friends who also come from our area in Ukambani so we meet from time to time. However, we also think this project is coming too late and Jubilee wants to use it as a campaign tool in our region.

There are also our competitors from Jubilee who are parliamentary aspirants and want to claim they pushed the project so that they can use it against us. That much we know and as CORD we are not ready to allow it to be used to fool our people,” said a CORD legislator who attended the meeting.

Mr Wamalwa told Parliament a fortnight ago that the government is keen on having the project implemented lawfully.