This archive report was first published on 18 September 2019.
September 18, 2019, marked a significant day for the Kimwarer and Arror Dam Projects in Elgeyo Marakwet County as President Uhuru Kenyatta made a crucial decision following a report from a technical committee.
The committee, led by Principal Secretary for Infrastructure Prof. Paul Maringa, assessed the viability of the two projects and submitted its findings to the Head of State.
According to the report, the Ksh.22 billion Kimwarer Dam was deemed 'neither technically nor financially viable' and should be discontinued.
State House spokesperson Kanze Dena stated that President Uhuru Kenyatta accepted the report and directed the immediate cancellation of the Kimwarer Dam project.
However, the Arror Multipurpose Dam Project, despite being overpriced, was found to be economically viable and should be completed.
The committee established that the Kimwarer project area is settled and would require compensation for displaced residents.
They also found that the water supply mechanism would involve pumping, which would make the project financially unsustainable in the long run.
As a result, the Technical Committee recommended to the President that the Kimwarer Dam project be discontinued.
On the other hand, the team recommended a cost rationalization plan for the Arror Multipurpose Dam Project to ensure it is implemented cost-effectively without affecting its performance and output.
The new design components and cost rationalization plan for the Arror dam are expected to cost taxpayers a maximum of Ksh.15.4 billion, down from the original estimate of Ksh.28.3 billion.
The two projects have been marred by controversy, with Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, and 10 other officials facing charges over the multibillion-shilling Kimwarer and Arror dams scandal.
