Three governors from Ukambani have demanded that a Chinese contractor sets aside Ksh5 billion to sub-contract companies from Makueni, Kitui
Governors Kivutha Kibwana (Makueni), Charity Ngilu(Kitui) and Alfred Mutua (Machakos),
According to the Chinese company’s interpretation, a local company means any company in Kenya while the county bosses have disputed the definition.
“Local firms in the contract are defined as all Kenyan companies, whether they are within Ukambani region or not but we’ll redefine this to factor local merchants from Kitui, Machakos and Makueni,” stated Kibwana.
Project Engineer Musembi Munyao revealed that out of the Ksh11 billion allocated for Kenyan companies, only Ksh1.1 billion would go to firms in the three counties.
“It would be very wrong for residents to watch as traders from other regions are allowed to supply locally available materials or engage in works that the locals have capacity to do,” he protested further.
His concerns were echoed by Governors Mutua and Ngilu who argued that unless the government intervened, the locals would feel shortchanged.
Ngilu, was particularly concerned as the project was conceptualised when she was the Water Minister.
Water CS Simon Chelgui responded that he would take into consideration the governors’ concerns.
The dam, a Vision 2030 flagship project, will be implemented in four main phases: Construction of a 77-metre-high dam; a hydro-power generation component; 34,600 cubic metres of water supply; and irrigation of 40,000 hectares of land.