Corruption in Kenya should be declared a National Emergency already. Time and again, the Country continues to loose billions of cash to a number of greedy individuals who keep growing rich at the expense of Millions of Kenyans.
From the Eurobond Scandal, the NYS Scandal, the SGR Scandal, Maize Scandal etc, Kenya has got many corruption saga’s that remain unresolved to date.
The Latest Scandal to hit the Country is courtesy of the ongoing Dam Constructions in different parts of the Country.
Dam construction is the latest cash cow for tenderpreneurs under the Jubilee government.
Deals worth Sh700 billion to construct the water facilities have been entered into or are awaiting signing.
Investigators are now raising questions on the huge amounts involved in construction of the dams and whether there will be value for money.
It has been revealed that procurement processes and construction of most of the dams are being carried out under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPCF) scheme, where the contractor is not only responsible to engineer, procure and construct the project, but also has to finance it, a model that is prone to abuse.
More damning revelations show that since 2013, various government agencies have signed or are planning to enter into contracts worth over Sh700 billion for the construction of dams.
Yesterday, Water Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui said that his ministry is planning construction of 57 dams countrywide.
“Some of the dams in the news are multi-year projects which take a lot of time from conception to construction. Feasibility studies are undertaken to determine the viability of the projects, followed by detailed design and design review.
“Most of the proposed 57 dams are still at the feasibility studies and detailed design stages,” Mr Chelugui said.
Currently, the ministry is constructing five dams at a cost of Sh142.5 billion, in deals signed after 2013.
The dams are Thwake (in Kitui/Makueni counties), at a cost of Sh37 billion; Siyoi Muruny (West Pokot County), at a cost of Sh5 billion; Itare (Nakuru County), worth Sh28 billion; the Sh1.2 billion dam for the regeneration of Sagana rivers in Nyeri County; and the Sh24 billion Karemenu in Kiambu County.