This archive report was first published on 7 July 2019.
Published on July 7, 2019, by Gerald Andae
The National Irrigation Board (NIB) took over operations at the Galana-Kulalu irrigation project after a falling out with contractor Green Arava, leading to a significant reduction in production costs.
Agriculture Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri has accused Green Arava of inflating expenses, including a Sh700 million bill for unclogging a water intake that was later reduced to Sh30 million by the NIB.
The project, which was initially expected to be completed in March 2016, has been plagued by delays and corruption allegations. The contract was extended twice, and the works are still not complete, with an estimated 85% completion rate.
The ministry has asked the President to take the risk and open the Galana project, citing its potential to bridge perennial food shortages. The NIB is projecting to harvest 32 bags of maize from an acre of the crop, with plans to expand the project to 10,000 acres by February next year.
The government has spent Sh5.9 billion on the project, with a payment dispute between the Israeli firm and the NIB still unresolved. The contractor claims the agency owes them Sh1 billion, while the board claims it only owes Green Arava Sh200 million.
