Residents plant maize on Sh28b Arror dam land

Residents of Kipsaiya village have planted maize on the land where the Sh28 billion Arror dam is to be built, an indication that work may not start any time soon

The locals - who are yet to be compensated and evicted to pave way for construction work for the irrigation and hydro-power dam project - have dismissed reports that construction was ongoing. 

Joshua Rotich, a landowner in the area, said locals would continue living on the land until investigations undertaken by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over the suspected loss of Sh21 billion payment for Arror and Kimwarer dam projects are concluded and suspects charged in court. Mr Rotich said some locals declined to sign a gazette notice of the list of people to be compensated after discovering that the implementation process was shrouded in controversy.

“We have already planted on our farms and we can’t surrender it until the controversy surrounding implementation of the dam is cleared,” he said.

He urged investigation agencies to extent their probe to The National Lands Commission, claiming it sided with Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) to conduct what they termed a "suspicious" land valuation.

“We need to be told why KVDA told locals that the land to resettle the evictees had been acquired only to show up last weekend and say there is no money to compensate them. So, which dam is KVDA constructing when locals have not been compensated?” asked Rotich.

He claimed a geotechnical drilling which was commissioned to test soils after the controversy came to the limelight in February was stopped two weeks ago under unclear circumstances.

Mere talk show

“We want tax payers to know that no dam is being constructed here. Implementation has degenerated into a mere talk show,“ he added.

Another resident, Emily Biwott urged the DCI to act swiftly to prevent what she termed as attempts by powerful individuals to deny affected residents their compensation.

“We are still shocked after an NLC official told us in public that the project would proceed whether we approve it or not. We had just raised issues on the compensation list and instead of being given answers, we are coerced to sign documents,” she claimed.

On the other hand, KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop said Treasury had released Sh600 million out of the Sh6.4 billion required for full compensation of residents listed for eviction.

He said the contractor (CMC Itinera) had not been paid the full amount for the project.

“The contractor (CMC Itinera) was paid Sh4.2 billion, which is 15 per cent of the Sh28 billion for the entire project, and this is in accordance with the law,” the MD said.

Maura Bafadhiaz of CMC di Ravenna said the company would start construction as soon as the state provides land.

Bafadhiaz said the Sh4.2 billion was spent on design and mobilisation of construction equipment.

Earlier this month, it emerged that investigations into the complex financial transactions across continents were delaying the probe into the stalled Sh65 billion Arror and Kimwarer dams projects.

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, however, said the investigations into the two projects were at an advanced stage.

“It is acknowledged that the issues involved are complex and require delving into a web of convoluted financial transactions spanning a considerable period spread across several borders and continents,” he said. He added the inquiries were also being conducted in different jurisdictions with often conflicting rules, regulations and procedures.

In a statement issued by Secretary Public Prosecutions Dorcas Oduor, Mr Haji said their central duty was to ensure justice was done at every stage of the investigation.

“This sometimes means that the pace of investigations may appear slow in the face of it. The process is informed by the need to ensure that unadulterated evidence, capable of standing up to keen scrutiny is obtained,” he said.