Agency on spot over delays in implementation of Sh220m Ikolomani water project

Shitoli water project

Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Muga has decried the slow implementation of the Sh220 million Shitoli water project in Ikoloman, Kakamega County, which he said was seven months behind schedule.

The CS who inspected the project questioned Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency (LVNWWDA) on why it had not taken action against the contractor despite the slow progress of the project.

Muga said about 11 per cent of the works had been completed against a 77 per cent time lapse. The project was expected to be completed in November this year and commissioned to serve about 40,000 residents.

The CS reprimanded the contractor, Geo-Data Systems, saying the explanations offered for the delay were not convincing and that most of the challenges cited were normal issues expected in engineering contracts.

“The issues the contractor is raising are not substantial but normal issues. The locals have not opposed the project; in fact, they are friendly and are waiting for the completion of the project to have water,” Muga said.

He said the slow pace of work risked creating the impression that the government had failed to honour its promises to residents, yet the delay was attributable to the contractor and the implementing agency.

“We are not happy because such things and laziness by contractors mandated with works are what are making people think or view our president, his workers and the government as liars, yet it is not true,” he said.

Muga said only 2.6 kilometres of the planned 18-kilometre pipeline had been completed, describing the progress as a serious concern given the amount of time already spent on the project.

He also questioned why LVNWWDA had not acted earlier, warning that the Ministry would no longer tolerate leniency in the implementation of projects meant to benefit residents.

According to Muga, the contractor had already received an advance payment of Sh18 million and had no outstanding bills from the government.

“We have paid the contractor upfront and we have no debt with them, but completing the work has become a tall order. The Ministry will not tolerate any leniency. This issue does not require a CS to visit the site; it should be handled by the agency, which is the employer, at the agency level,” he said.

The CS directed LVNWWDA chief executive officer Joel Wamalwa to convene a management meeting and find a way forward, including considering termination of the contract, court redress or adjudication.

“We have three ways of solving this issue: termination, court redress and adjudication. Therefore, the CEO, I am directing you to convene a management meeting to explore the three options. The end game is to see more than 40,000 locals benefit from the project,” Muga said.

The project was launched by President William Ruto about six months ago during his development tour of Kakamega County. It was expected to be ready for use by November.

Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali has separately called for the removal of the contractor, arguing that residents should not continue suffering because of contractual disputes.

Shinali said residents often blame elected leaders when government projects fail to deliver on promises, yet in some cases contractors are responsible for the delays.

"I urge the CS to terminate contracts where contractors fail to meet their obligations and allow them to pursue legal remedies separately, while new contractors are engaged to complete stalled works," said Shinali.

Shinali also raised concern over possible contamination of water sources arising from mining activities in the area.

He warned that chemicals used in gold mining could find their way into water sources and expose residents to health risks.

The MP said the government should also review the legal framework governing public projects to prevent court cases and contractual disputes from unnecessarily stalling essential services.

Meanwhile, LVNWWDA is facing wider scrutiny over its management of water infrastructure in Western Kenya.

The National Assembly's Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy, chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, has given the agency two months to address persistent water shortages in the region.

The committee expressed concern over continued water shortages, high levels of non-revenue water and what it termed weak oversight of county-owned water service providers despite substantial public investment in water infrastructure.

Vihiga County MP Beatrice Adagala said residents were bearing the brunt of persistent water shortages.

“People in Vihiga are suffering. There is no water; taps are dry. Women are carrying the burden every day while we continue sitting here discussing reports,” Adagala told the committee.

Wamalwa acknowledged operational challenges, attributing some of the problems to governance weaknesses within county-owned water companies.

He said the agency had started taking back operational control of some treatment works in a bid to restore production and improve service delivery.

“We have taken over our treatment works because we found that they were not being operated efficiently,” Wamalwa said.

He added: “Once we restore operations, county companies will purchase treated water in bulk under service-level agreements.”

However, the committee was not satisfied with the agency's explanations and directed it to return after two months with evidence of measurable improvements.

Pkosing instructed the agency to reorganise its operations and strengthen collaboration with county water service providers in Vihiga, Mumias and Kimilili.

“We are giving you two months to reorganise the administration of water services within your jurisdiction. When you return, we want a positive story from Western Kenya,” Pkosing said.

The developments have further intensified scrutiny of LVNWWDA, with some Kakamega residents accusing the agency of failing to do enough to address water shortages and ensure projects are completed on time.

Some residents have also questioned Wamalwa's political activities, claiming that he is concentrating more on politics than helping the government deliver services.

Wamalwa, a state officer, is seeking to contest the Lugari parliamentary seat, where he intends to challenge incumbent MP Innocent Mugabe.

His political activities recently attracted criticism after President Ruto's aide Farouk Kibet accused him of storming a women's empowerment programme in Lugari with a group of youths, an incident that allegedly triggered a stampede as women sought safety.

Wamalwa did not respond to calls and text messages seeking his comment on the allegations and the criticism over his performance at the agency.

A representative of the contractor, who requested anonymity, dismissed the accusations, saying the agency was engaged in a blame game to appease the ministry and create a public relations impression.

The representative said the project was progressing well and disputed claims that the contractor was solely responsible for the delays.

The Shitoli project is now under pressure to meet its intended objective of supplying reliable water to thousands of residents, with both the Ministry and Parliament demanding action from the implementing agency.