A resident in Kisumu county has petitioned the National Assembly to investigate allegations of corruption in the West Kano Irrigation Scheme.
Ochieng’ Odindo claimed there has been misuse of the Government Rehabilitation Fund, Economic Stimulus Programme Fund and farmers' own savings by the management of the scheme.
He further alleged that the Ethic and Ant-Corruption Commission's western region officers have failed to make any conclusion on the allegations filed by him and other residents in 2015.
Odindo also alleged there was misappropriation of 13 tractors granted through collaboration with the government of Japan, as well as embezzlement of the Rice Sales Fund released by the Kenya government.
“Having established that the matter raised in the petition is well within the authority of the House, I hereby commit the petition to the Public Petitions Committee for consideration pursuant to Standing Order 208 A,” National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said in his message to the House.
West Kano Irrigation Scheme is located in the Kano plains between the Nandi escarpment and Nyabondo plateau on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kisumu County.
The main crop grown in West Kano is rice. The schemes produce 7, 900 metric tonnes annually.
The scheme was constructed in the year 1974 and become operational in 1976. The scheme has 837 farmers with a gross area of 4396 acres.
The gross farmland area is 2230 acres and the farm size of 2-4 acres per farmer.
The scheme irrigation water is abstracted by pumping from Lake Victoria and water drainage is also by pumping back to the Lake.
The scheme has a population dependent of about 30,000 people
