• Led by Senate Majority leader and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, the politicians said Uhuru should review the decision to scale down the funding on the Arror dam and the move to stop the construction work on the Kimwarer dam in the county.
• Murkomen said it was unfair for the government to purport to be supporting development yet ignores the impact of the decision made on the two dams.
Image: COURTESY
A section of politicians from Rift Valley have petitioned President Uhuru Kenyatta to reconsider the decision on Arror and Kimwarer dams.
Led by Senate Majority leader and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, the politicians said Uhuru should review the decision to scale down the funding on the Arror dam and the move to stop the construction work on the Kimwarer dam in the county.
Murkomen said it was unfair for the government to purport to be supporting development yet ignores the impact of the decision made on the two dams.
Murkomen said as it stands, the decision on the dams was politically motivated in bad faith.
His sentiments were echoed by Keiyo South MP Daniel Rono who said the move to stop the construction work on the Kimwarer dam was ill advised and was done in bad faith.
“The move to suspend the Kimwarer and scaling down of funding for Arror was politically motivated. We are Kenyans like the rest and we have a right to development,” Rono said.
Woman Rep Jane Chebaibai who hit back at the BBI saying it was formed with the intention of changing the Constitution to create more positions and accommodate the Opposition leaders including Raila Odinga.
In September, President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered the cancellation of the Sh22.2 billion Kimwarer dam contract.
The President at the same time allowed Arror dam to continue after its design was scaled down from 96 metres to 60 metres.
"The optimised dam will be technically viable since it will only require about 250 acres and cost Sh15.4 billion with power and Sh13.1 billion without power. The dam was previously estimated to cost Sh28.3 billion," read a statement from statehouse.
The re-evaluation followed a recommendation by a technical committee comprising quantity surveyor Julius Matu, and engineers Benjamin Mwangi and John Muiruri.
The technical committee was chaired by Infrastructure Principal Secretary Paul Maringa.
The report shows that the Sh22.2 billion Kimwarer dam was overpriced and was neither technically nor financially viable.
But Deputy President in his rejoinder said the construction of dams across the country was contained in the Jubilee administration.
He said Jubilee administration in its initiatives would not discriminate any part of the nation.
“The construction of dams in this area will go a long way in providing water for irrigation and thus eradicate cases of cattle rustling as youths will be busy in farms,” Ruto said.
With regards to the Bulding Bridges Intitaive, Ruto cautioned leaders against using the BBI to advance their personal agenda.
He said while it is incumbent upon Kenyans to decide it’s outcome, the initiative was started with the sole aim of uniting the country.
Ruto was speaking when he officially opened the Chepsirei Technical Training Institute (TTI) in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
The DP further asked politicians to desist from activities that could instill fear among peace-loving Kenyans.
“We are in a democratic society and the proposals by BBI will be subjected to an open national conversation where every voice will be heard. Those working hard to create new fault lines will not succeed,” he said.
Ruto maintained it is wrong for some leaders to threaten others that ‘a tsunami’ through BBI was on the offing and that it would ‘sweep away’ some people.
“Those spreading lies about BBI and telling us about tsunami that will sweep away some people should know that such a route is a slippery one and that we can’t go there,” said Dr Ruto.
He was flanked by Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen, MPS Margaret Kamar (Uasin-Gishu), Daniel Rono (Keiyo South), Kangogo Bowen (Marakwet East), Jane Chebaibai (Women Rep, Elgeyo Marakwet) and deputy governor Wesley Rotich.
He told leaders to stop sideshows and focus on activities aimed at uniting the country instead of instilling fear, hatred and division.
“As leaders we should take the lead in preaching peace and unity among all Kenyans so that we have a country that we can all be proud of,” he said.
His sentiments were echoed by Murkomen who criticized Opposition leader Raila Odinga of reading from a different script from that of the president on matters to do with BBI.
“If the BBI is a good thing, then why are we being given lectures that it will pass whether we like it or not? If it is about the unity of Kenyans, then consultations should take centre stage and not threats,” he said.
Murkomen said “The President says BBI is about the unity of the county while others are telling us that it is about change of the Constitution whether we like it or not”.
“But if they think change of Constitution will disadvantage some of us on matters of leadership, they should know that we are ahead of them. We are not fools,” said Mr Murkomen.