Many of these irrigation and other projects are just conduits for pilfering state resources. They are not meant to get work done, just huge outlets for mega scandals. The scandals in government we have been are talking about revolve around mega projects. We're just splashing money around.
Serious inefficiency means led to lack of value for money. It is shameful that a mega project like
Galana-Kulalu has failed to live up to its billing. In the face of starvation among Kenyans, it is shocking the project has only produced 100,000 bags of maize since its launch.
Kenya is facing a serious food shortage and the President has admitted food security is an issue, yet when he came in, the project was to shore up food efficiency. Worse still, we are still importing maize and the NCPB has been hit by a Sh1.9 billion scandal.
Compare what the government has spent on this project against the returns. It's obvious there is massive waste. It is through the Galana-Kulalu project the country was supposed to achieve food security.
We are not spending resources efficiently. We invest millions of shillings and then produce just 100,000 bags of maize. This is disgraceful.
Even with the SGR, we are completing infrastructure, not moving the cargo in the capacity promised. SGR has become a passenger service and will require resources to electrify it. Investment projections were made with a view to completing the railway into Uganda and Rwanda. We have not thought carefully about completing connecting infrastructure
This was true even in Mwai Kibaki’s regime. Even Kibaki failed, so we should not blame Uhuru entirely for these things. Look at Thika Road, it is not providing the mobility and efficiency that was promised. It has the worst traffic jams.
If you look at the end of Thika Road around old Nation House, where was that road going to?
The cost at which we are doing certain projects is inordinate.
The director of the East Africa Institute at Aga Khan University spoke to the Star