• The much-touted food security scheme was a Jubilee administration flagship project but there were cost overruns, delays and the Israeli contractor abandoned the site.
• Contractor kicked out, Kiunjuri promises a 'breakthrough' and prosperity.
Image: Courtesy
The National Irrigation Board will take over the failed Sh7.3 billion Galana Kulalu 'model farm' and food security scheme.
The irrigation project was a Jubilee administration flagship project but it is considered to be a white elephant, though 85 per cent of construction is complete.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri announced on Wednesday that the NIB will handle all the activities at the 10,000-acre care farm plagued by cost overruns, delays and other problems.
“Galana has so far spent Sh6.2 billion and yet we have not gone far," Kiunjuri said during the 6th Agritex Exhibition and Conference at the KICC.
"We have taken a risk, directed the NIB to take over planting and kicked out the contractor. I can assure you we are going to make a breakthrough. Over the years, we have been making losses but this year, with a promising season and proper supervision from the government, we are going to prosper,” the CS said.
I can assure you we are going to make a breakthrough. For years, we have been making losses but this year, with a promising season and proper government supervision, we are going to prosper.Agriculture CS Kiunjuri
On May 24, NIB officials and the contractor appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee to answer queries about delayed payments.
The contractor said the NIB owes them Sh1 billion but the board claims it only owes Green Avara Sh200 million.
At the same time, the project was delayed by 357 days as Green Arava complained that the contract that was to run for 30 calendar months was reviewed midway.
Also dropped was an exchange programme to train 300 Kenyan graduates in Israel.
Local leaders said of the 300 that were taken, none was from the host counties of Kilifi and Tana River.
Embu Senator Njeru Ndwiga, the Agriculture committee chairman, said decisions were from the beginning a deliberate attempt to sabotage the project.
The CS will visit Galana Kulalu next week to see the progress.
Kiunjuri further said that the 2019-20 budget set aside Sh1.8 billion for completing stalled irrigation projects.
“By April 2020, we shall be able to finish the 20 projects,” Kiunjuri said.
Water abstraction costs about Sh40 billion. Small dams will cost Sh1.4 billion to irrigate 11,000 acres. Another Sh3.6 billion is needed to irrigate an additional 12,000 acres.
The CS said the government is also reviving the Bura Irrigation Scheme and putting 2,000 acres under rice.
Kiunjuri said on Wednesday that 85 per cent of the work is complete.
An intake with five pumps and 20 centre pivots covering 3,300 acres have been tested and handed over to the NIB.
NIB says the contractor had also installed drip irrigation systems covering 1, 800 acres but cropping has not been done.
NIB general manager Mugambi Gitonga said that currently, 1,000 acres is under maize cultivation.
“We will progressively utilise he entire 3,300 acres by mid-July,” he told the Star on Wednesday.