A youth lobby group has called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to disband the National Irrigation Board (NIB), citing gross misappropriation of funds meant for the Galana-Kulalu project.
Vision 2030 Young Entrepreneurs (VYE) accused the board of wasting Sh7.3 billion taxpayers’ cash pumped into the mega irrigation project.
VYE chief executive Edward Githaiga called for a probe into the scheme, hosted by Kilifi and Tana River counties, that had been projected to tackle food insecurity in the country.
Their calls follows report of severe famine in Turkana and Baringo counties, with at least two people said to have succumbed.
“We are calling on investigative agencies to probe the alleged irregular payment of billions paid for the bush clearing of the model farm before commencement of work,” said Githaiga.
In September last year, it emerged only 22,000 bags of maize worth Sh35.2 million were harvested at Galana-Kulalu despite the government having spent Sh7.3 billion in the Israeli-backed food security project.
VYE now wants the Irrigation Board to be charged with professional misconduct for mishandling the scheme.
On August 2014, the board signed a Sh14.5 billion contract with Israeli firm Green Arava Ltd to pilot the project.