This is a case study on how not to carry out economic stimulus.
In Central region, fish has never been on the menu, boys were told not to bother fishing. Cooking pots had to be aired out because they stank of fish.
But when fish farming was introduced in the Economic Stimulus Programme in 2010, farmers saw a chance to supplement their earnings from tea, coffee and dairy ventures.
But the Sh300 million project has collapsed and the Wamagana Fish Processing plant remains a Sh60 million white elephant.
Farmers who ventured into fish farming with the promise of a ready market had to release their fish and water into rivers. They planted food crops after the government failed to provide the market.
Ben Wamathai from Tetu constituency emptied his pond water and fish into a nearby stream and planted arrowroot. “I’m happy now that the arrowroot is eaten by everyone in the family.” His wife does not eat fish.
Wambugu Nyamu from Othaya constituency was approached by his area assistant chief with the fish proposal. “He told me the government was building fish ponds for farmers and would supply them with free fingerlings and feed,” he says.
“Many people here don’t eat fish and they were hesitant at first as they couldn’t understand why they were to have ponds in their farms because they would take up a chunk of land.”
But Nyamu and a youth group gave it a try after they were promised a fish factory was coming up. “We were promised that before the factory was completed, the fisheries department would come for the fish and market them,” he told the Star.
drained ponds
But after the fish matured, the fisheries officers disappeared and there was no local market.
The fish feeding programme was discontinued. The group got impatient. They drained their ponds and dumped fish into River Thuti.
The Wamagana factory was built long after many farmers had given up. “Eventually when the government realised the project was collapsing, it rushed to build the fish processing plant,” Nyamu said.
The factory was to be used for processing, storing and marketing.
It was completed in 2011 and handed over to the county government in 2016 when test runs were done. But it never functioned to capacity.
It is capable of processing 12 tonnes per week, but was only handling 50-200kg. During test runs, problems of cold rooms, electricity and water supply emerged. The county government was supposed to fix them but did not.
A farmers’ cooperative was formed to run the factory and the county government agreed to pump in Sh5 million to help jump-start it.
“The county assembly approved the money, only for it to vanish in the hands of county government officials,” said Nyamu, a member of the cooperative society.
cash still in the bank
Acting Agriculture executive Robert Thuo has dismissed the claims, saying the Sh5 million is still in the county’s accounts and banks statements are available for scrutiny.
He said the money was withheld after the cooperative society refused to be audited.
Thuo said the county government is committed in making the factory operational. He accused the cooperative officials of failing to run it effectively and transparently, despite the county equipping and employing skilled staff.
Nyeri Fish Farmers Cooperative Society chairman Charles Mbauni said the factory was constructed in Nyeri as the county was leading in fish farming.
Farmers fault the county government for continuing to issue fish fingerings to farmers and rehabilitating fish ponds, yet the factory is not operational – the same mistake made in 2010.
Governor Mutahi Kahiga on Wednesday said last year his government revived 223 ponds and started cage fish farming in Chinga Dam.
But Nyamu said, “This county government does not look into the sustainability of projects. For any project that is based on production, one must know the market.”
The work of the government is to create infrastructure and marketing is part of that, he said.
The county government should create awareness of the benefits of eating fish to change residents’ mindset and promote the local market.
“My parents never ate fish and I would thoroughly be beaten by my mother if I went fishing. Whenever I cooked fish using her sufuria, she would leave it outside until the smell disappeared.”
The Economic Stimulus Programme started in retired President Mwai Kibaki’s time. Uhuru Kenyatta was then Finance minister.
Construction of ponds, logistics, maintenance and the fish factory cost about Sh300 million.The government built 300 fish ponds in every constituency, a total of 2,500 in the county.
Community dams were also renovated and stocked with fingerings. Nyeri has 30 community dams.