The Lake Victoria Environment Management Project (LVEMP) is on the spot over suspected irregularities in the procurement of a Sh76 million dredging machine.
The machine that is meant to remove the invasive water hyacinth from the lake lies idle as the weed spreads.
Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko and LVEMP project manager Fransisca Owuor had a hard time yesterday when they appeared before the Regional Integration Committee of the National Assembly to explain why the machine acquired in 2016 is not in use.
LVEMP is largely funded by the World Bank but has been unable to deal with the intrusive weed about 21 years since it was established.
The MPs have also raised concerns that the LVEMP project has received over Sh4 billion from the World Bank for tree planting among other projects, but the impact is yet to be felt among the local community.
But it emerged that LVEMP procured the dredging machine well aware that it did not have the right specifications to deal with the weed that has made transportation of goods and fishing expeditions in the second largest fresh water lake in the world difficult.
The lake covers the three East African countries — Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The failures at LVEMP forced the government to acquire another dredging vessel owned by a Ugandan firm, Mango Tree Group, which was unveiled by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila early this year. The machine is 70 metres long and weighs about 4,000 tonnes.
Though the supplier is demanding more to fix the unused dredger, the World Bank has given the implementing agency until April 30 to resolve the standoff with the ministry even as it suspended all projects in the lake basin region for stock-taking on the return on investments.
It also emerged that payments of up to 90 percent of the total cost were made to United Kingdom (UK) based Unit Export Limited, which supplied the machine even before it certified fit for use.
This was despite an inspection and acceptance committee voicing concerns that the machine failed to meet the specifications of the bid.
According to Mr Tobiko, the supplier had accepted there were flaws but made an about-turn after being asked to take remedial measures so that the machine can be put to intended use.