The Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority will build a multi-million shilling dam in the Aberdares to sup- ply water in the drier parts of Nyandarua county.
The dam will supply water in Ndaragwa sub- county and selected areas of Laikipia county bordering Nyandarua, according to an agreement between Tarda and Nyandarua Governor Waithaka Mwangi.
The Governor, who led a six-member delegation of his executive team on a tour of Machakos county on Mon- day, also paid a courtesy call on Tarda officials.
“Tarda will work with the county government of Nyandarua not only in de- veloping water projects but also in rehabilitating water catchment areas to ensure the protection of the envi- ronment,” Tarda chairman Abdul Ali said. He said Nyandarua is animportant water catchment area and a source of water to many counties.
Ali said there is need to in- vest in the protection of the environment and the water catchment area.
“Nyandarua county is one Youths protest over road jobs in Laikipia BY WANJOHI GAKIO Residents of Rumuruti in Laikipia county have said there is tribalism in hiring of casual labourers in the ongoing construction of Rumuruti-Mararal road.
Youths from the region yesterday camped outside the construction offices where they sought interven- tion of the area women’s representative Jane Apollos and Sosian ward representa- tive Jacob Edung.
Some of the youths said Avic International Com- pany contracted to build the road has brought unskilled workers from elsewhere without giving local people an opportunity, while the few that they require for top up are hired from only one community.
“A local politician is fuel- ling tribalism and causing this work to stall by ensur- ing only people from his community are employed.
We want the current com- mittee disbanded and a fresh one constituted,” Apollos said. The road building project manager, Gao Bingsheng, said his company has fol- lowed the government policy that requires foreign compa- nies to employ local people, but has had problems dif- ferentiating between people from various communities.
County offices to curb sand theft By Kings Waweru In a bid to curb sand theft in Laikipia North subcounty, the county government has established a revenue collection office in the area. Speaking during opening of the office and a barrier at Ilpolei trading centre yes- terday, county executive Agnes Keshine said the theft will be minimised. She said some lorry crews have been har- vesting sand and not paying, which makes the local communities and the county government lose revenue. Most land in the area is community owned.
“We cannot afford to lose money while at the same time our people need develop- ment. They must pay,” Keshine said. Mukogodo West ward representative Paul Lebeneyo supported the move saying “Caesar must be given what belongs to him”.
However, Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel has opposed the development saying it is mediocre. He said there is nowhere in the country where such a barrier exists, insisting that it must be removed. Last year, the MP ordered a barrier that existed at the place be removed, an action that was heavily criticised by fellow legisla- tors and administrators in the county.
During a visit in the county a few months ago, Interior Secretary Joseph ole Lenku directed that the barrier be reinstated. of the most important water catchment areas in this coun- try and we would like to ful- ly partner with them so that the communities living there are assured of adequate wa- ter supply for domestic and commercial use,” he said.
Waithaka later paid a courtesy call on Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and was taken on a tour of the local stadium and the public park by chief of staff Mwen- gi Mutuse and Education ex- ecutive Grace Munguti. Suspects drop gun as they flee By Kings Waweru Police have recovered a gun at Baraka estate in Laikipia Central district. AP officers on patrol recovered the gun on Mon- day night but two people suspected of having dropped it escaped. Separately, the AP officers also recovered a radio meant for security purposes in the same estate. Area AP commander Ndegwa Githinji said the officers were tipped-off by residents on the two suspects and they tailed them.
“Residents at Baraka trad- ing centre suspected the two people and called AP officers from the local patrol base. They had bought chips at a local hotel,” Githinji said. “They were ordered to stop but they ran away dropping the weapon on the ground. It had no bullets.
” Githinji said the radio was found in a deserted house by a member of the community who took it to the police. He said the radio is mainly used by security officers and firms and it does not belong to the Kenya Police Service or Administration Police.