This archive report was first published on 4 October 2019.
Construction of the Sh20 billion Thiba Dam in Kirinyaga County has stalled due to a financial crisis, with contractor Strabag Company's workers dismissed and the project feared to be terminated.
According to workers, they were sent packing because the government had not released money to the company, leaving them without pay and the project in limbo.
"We have been told to go home until further notice because the company has no money to pay us and finance the project," one worker said.
Central Regional Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga confirmed that the project had been suspended, citing a problem of resources.
"It is true the construction has temporarily been suspended due to problem of resources," Mr Nyagwanga said without elaborating.
Despite the setback, the national government remains committed to ensuring the project is completed to enhance food security.
The project, officially launched on November 23, 2017 by President Uhuru Kenyatta, aims to double rice production in the giant Mwea Irrigation Scheme and address the country's rice shortage, which stands at 100,000 tonnes annually.
